26. The Peoples of New Mexico: Abandoned Uranium Mines

26. The Peoples of New Mexico: Abandoned Uranium Mines

Author: Jenn Galler January 13, 2023 Duration: 8:06

Petuuche Gilbert is an elder from the Pueblo of Acoma. He talks about his life in the “Grants Mining District,” and takes us on a tour of cultural sites and abandoned uranium mine lands in the region, where he worked and still lives today.


Uranium extraction in New Mexico was primarily done in the “Grants Mineral Belt,” or “Grants Mining District” –depending who you ask, which is in the northwest part of the state. Residents in this area have had abnormally high rates of lung cancer, from radon gas in poorly ventilated in underground mines. The effect was particularly pronounced among miners, because the incidence of lung cancer is normally low among Indigenous populations. Further south in central New Mexico, on July 16th, 1945, a plume of plutonium mushroomed over New Mexico. Less than 20 miles away from people and communities. This was the United States government's first detonation of a nuclear weapon, a part of the Manhattan Project, one of the first ways New Mexico became a national sacrifice zone for the nuclear industry.


Contact with Jesse Deer in Water and Leona Morgan: Changethelifeoftheworld@gmail.com leona.morgan.nm@gmail.com

Resources: https://tewawomenunited.org/

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/04/travel/new-mexico-atomic.html

http://www.dinenonukes.org/radiation-monitoring-project/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDgBUwhUAVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u0o48EWO-E

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6AHdI1RakU




Hosted by Jenn Galler, In Our Backyard Podcast is the voice of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, bringing urgent local stories to the forefront. This isn't about abstract global debates; it's a grounded conversation focused on the very real industrial pressures facing specific towns and neighborhoods. Each episode examines a particular threat, from active coal plants and fracking operations to the routing of new pipelines, unpacking the complex realities behind the headlines. You'll hear directly from the residents and organizers who are living these fights, sharing their personal struggles and strategies for safeguarding both community health and the local environment. The discussions are detailed and thoughtful, prioritizing the experiences of those on the ground. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with the persistent, often overlooked work of environmental justice, understanding that the most critical battles for planetary protection frequently begin just outside our own doors.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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