Uranium Legacy Rememberance and Action Day: Near Church Rock, N.M., today, Saturday, July 14, 2012, Navajos led this march against new uranium mining at Church Rock, the site of one of the nation's worst uranium tailings spills.
Photos by Andew Curley
Article by Brenda Norrell
CHURCH ROCK, N.M. -- Today was the 32nd anniversary of the uranium tailings spill near Church Rock, N.M. Navajos and other walkers walked, and protested, six decades of the impacts from uranium mining on the Navajo Nation.
The Church Rock spill on July 16, 1979, resulted in millions of gallons of radioactive water pouring into the north fork of the Rio Puerco after an earthen uranium tailings dam failed. Within days, contaminated tailings liquid was found 50 miles downstream in Arizona. The radioactive flow continued for decades down the Rio Puerco.
Today, new uranium mining targets the border of Navajo lands in Church Rock and threatens to poison the drinking water of Navajos. Today, marchers also protested Japan investing into corporations targeting new uranium mining on the Navajo Nation.