HOUSE MEMORIAL 32

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2021

INTRODUCED BY

D. Wonda Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO ASSESS THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF URANIUM MINE CLEANUP IN NEW MEXICO REPORT AND TO CREATE A COMMITTEE OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO PROMOTE COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION AS A KEY INDUSTRY IN NEW MEXICO.

 

     WHEREAS, the state, the Navajo Nation, the Pueblo of Laguna and the Pueblo of Acoma are faced with the dangerous toxic environmental legacy from past uranium mining; and

     WHEREAS, more than one thousand mine sites need to be assessed to determine appropriate remediation efforts that may take decades to complete, and uranium-impacted communities and workers are largely ignored in studies of new energy economy opportunities; and

     WHEREAS, in 2019, the legislature appropriated funds for fiscal year 2020 to the university of New Mexico bureau of business and economic research to investigate the potential economic impact of uranium mine cleanup and assess the workforce capacity for conducting the cleanup work; and

     WHEREAS, the funding bill was sponsored by Representative D. Wonda Johnson, and the university of New Mexico bureau of business and economic research study was conducted with oversight by the legislature's interim Indian affairs committee; and

     WHEREAS, the university of New Mexico bureau of business and economic research report, titled The Economic Opportunities and Challenges of Uranium Mine Cleanup in New Mexico, provides a blueprint for how the state can and should prioritize environmental remediation as a target industry, focusing specifically on leveraging existing specialized expertise in cleanup of radioactive and toxic uranium mine wastes; and

     WHEREAS, fostering development of a uranium mine remediation industry can be accomplished by creating a central database of critical information on former uranium sites and opportunities, establishing shared workspaces for remediation businesses, adopting safety certification programs for workers and coordinating remediation research among the state's universities, national laboratories and federal agencies; and

     WHEREAS, the university of New Mexico bureau of business and economic research report estimated revenues of one hundred seventeen million eight hundred thousand dollars ($117,800,000) per year over ten years and one thousand forty highly skilled jobs at an average salary of fifty-four thousand six hundred sixty-three dollars ($54,663) per year in sustainable community development initiatives based on green jobs; and

     WHEREAS, the report makes twelve recommendations in four categories that address overall planning needed for developing a remediation industry; challenges faced by state businesses; challenges faced by the state's workforce; and development of future opportunities as remediation activities increase in the state; and

     WHEREAS, the report further recommends that research continue on the effects of unremediated uranium mines beyond economic impacts, including cultural impacts and health impacts, and on the validity of metrics used for cleanup standards; and

     WHEREAS, the report provides opportunities to include uranium-impacted communities and workers in a just economy and incorporate legacy cleanup activities in sustainable community development initiatives based on green jobs;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the governor be requested to study the recommendations in The Economic Opportunities and Challenges of Uranium Mine Cleanup in New Mexico for implementation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor be requested to create a committee of key stakeholders, including directly impacted community members, representatives of the Navajo Nation, the Pueblo of Laguna, the Pueblo of Acoma, state and federal agencies and any other affected entity in uranium-mine remediation regulation, science, policy and community impacts, to promote collaboration and coordination in the development of environmental remediation as a key industry in New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee be requested to report to the legislature on an annual basis to outline funding, strategies and any other related implementation options; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial and the university of New Mexico bureau of business and economic research report be distributed to the secretary of economic development, the secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources, the secretary of environment, the secretary of higher education, the secretary of Indian affairs and the secretary of workforce solutions; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED copies of this memorial and the university of New Mexico bureau of business and economic research report be distributed to the members of the legislature, members of the New Mexico congressional delegation, the administrator of the United States environmental protection agency and the secretary of the United States department of energy; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of the report be filed in the legislative council service library.

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