Indigenous leaders and activists held protests over the weekend opposing the start of uranium ore transport from the state’s only active uranium mine.
On Friday, demonstrators and tribal officials marched along part of the haul route in Cameron as they waived signs in opposition to uranium mining and sang songs in Diné.
Dozens of protestors walked along the northbound lanes of Highway 89 in near triple-digit temperatures as they were escorted by Navajo police.
It was where, three days earlier, trucks hauled uranium ore from the Pinyon Plain Mine near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Navajo President Buu Nygren led the demonstrators on the walk as traffic backed up behind them.
"When it comes to uranium, people need to understand it’s a humanitarian issue that we face here on Navajo because it’s killed thousands of our people, and they need to recognize that. We just want people to respect us, honor our laws," says Nygren.
Nygren says the uranium shipments were illegal under Navajo law and that the mine’s owner, Energy Fuels Resources, didn’t inform the tribe before the trucks set out.
State agencies have jurisdiction over highways through the reservation.
Protests against the uranium transport were also held in Flagstaff and Grand Canyon Junction.
Energy Fuels has paused shipments to allow for discussions with the tribe but says the ore has low levels of radiation and is safe to transport.
“We have done more than is required by law to inform and engage communities along the route, including Tribal leaders, on safety measures and emergency response,” said the company's President and CEO Mark Chalmers. “We want to ensure those who may have concerns feel safe and understand that the loads we are transporting pose no threat to the community or the environment.”
