Here at Navajo council Resources & Development Committee’s Subcommi ttee on a Proposed agreement between the Navajo Nation and URI/Uranium Resources Inc. of Texas for URI to conduct a demonstration project involving In-Situ Uranium Mining near Church Rock, N.M. Before I go any further, please excuse all typos and grammar errors and misspelling because I’m typing as fast as I can from this meeting at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Ariz. Subcommittee member are Chairperson Leonard Tsosie and Vice Chairperson Leonard Pete.

L.TSOSIE
We’re going to have pershude community that aquifer being used by URI won’t contaminate aquifer below aquifer that URI wud be using.

URI MARK PELIZZA
Health of pple is concern but there is natural contamination. we can show thru maps that separation of underlying zones and show u thru demonstration that there wud be no contamination and that cud bring water used in ISL/in-situ leach uranium mining to about same level as before URI ISL. all wells use plastic casing and cemented under casing and all the way to the top. we also have tests do that call mechanical integrity to assure no leaks. We monitor aquifers. After done mining and all restoration by regulatory agencies, we fill casing with cement; it becomes like rock itself. All that activity, before first day of production, money set aside for restoration and plugging so make sure third party contractor do in case of default.

L.TSOSIE
who sets up bonding?

URI PELIZZA
bond bot by URI and tendered by Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Cost is set after survey and review.

L.PETE
people are uneducated and they don’t think the way we do or see things the way we do so we ned to get down to their level in explaining this uranium mining process.

L.TSOSIE
Navajo Division of Natural Resources Director Fred White, can we work with URI that every scenario is looked at and there wud be no uranium in situ leaching mining contamination. Can there be information about quality of wells in area? Cuz people do drink from wind mills.

LARRY KING
We have always been concerned about how URI draws aquifer. They are not distinct circles. The aquifers are more like hands and fingers. There are well data that shows that aquifer has good drinking standards. You also said URI has never contaminated drinkable aquifers. But Texas people has said you lied and URI contaminated their aquifer.

URI PELIZZA
Just because someone says something in south Texas doesnt mean it’s true. There are pple say water contaminated. But look at court and administrative decisions where pple made very same claims and every instance no basis for claims. Before accuse, look at entire body of evidence. See if tried in court and found wrong; cuz in America that is how it works.

LARRY KING
i have every right to question URI.

L.TSOSIE
is there any possiblity of water contamination? that is question now. I am asking for overlay, ow it wud look to best ability on how aqufier wud lok. but we still ned to decide on size and scope of demonstration project. r there certain sizes of demonstration projects? and wat are u saying about using lab which I am a little uncomfortable with cuz public question.

URI PELIZZA
Demonstration project wud be on a commercial scale but I think that might be a little too large. But lab study wud simulate leaching process and smaller footprint out there because just drill some holes to take the ore. But not 100 percent but very close.

L.TSOSIE
And is that similar to remediation? And that it wud take Navajo EPA and URI to determine size of remediation.

NAVAJO DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ATTORNEY ROBERT TAYLOR
we have agreement that URI agree to complete cleanup before any uranium activity so this is putting cart before the horse.

URI CHRISTOPHER JONES
Yes, there is agreement but to what standard. And we have said we wud go demonstration project. And remember that we are in the business world and do in five year cycles/planning so why doing at same time. One doesn’t conflict with the other unless didn’t do cleanup of Section 17. I’m not worried about having two projects considered at same time. If we decided lab project good enough then do both at same time. we understand sensitivity of Navajo Nation getting Section 17 cleaned up.

L.TSOSIE
so you are talking parallel track?