A wide range of New Mexico elected officials issued a statement Thursday reiterating their opposition to an exploratory uranium mining operation in northern New Mexico, as well as detailing their next steps to halt a Canadian company’s efforts to break ground in Rio Arriba County.
Gamma Resources, Ltd., a Vancouver-based uranium company, issued a notice of intent to the Carson National Forest in late February to dig up to 12, 500-feet-deep boreholes near Canjilon, N.M. to explore uranium potential along a 4-mile-strip of forestland.
In a pitch to investors about the potential for the operation, the company cited President Donald Trump’s push to expand domestic energy production, as well as evidence suggesting 2.9 million pounds of uranium exists within the 4,625-acre area the company has identified for exploration.
Local community organizations expressed outrage about the proposal after Source NM first reported on it last month. Since then, members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation have announced they intend to legislatively prohibit uranium mining in the Carson National Forest, and, on Thursday, additional state, local and community leaders expressed opposition.
Six New Mexico state lawmakers voiced opposition in the statement Thursday, which came from U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján’s office. They called on the United States Forest Service to halt any review of the company’s proposal until Congress acts to prohibit uranium mining in the Carson National Forest.
“I strongly oppose any uranium drilling in the Chama watershed, especially by a foreign-owned company seeking to exploit our public lands. This proposal puts the health of our acequias, the safety of our drinking water, and the survival of Tribal and rural communities at unacceptable risk for short-term profit,” Sen. Leo Jaramillo (D-Española), whose Senate District 5 contains the proposed uranium site, said in the statement.
Gamma Resources officials did not immediately respond to Source NM’s emailed request for comment Thursday about the coalition’s statement of opposition.
Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez (D-Albuquerque) told Source NM on Thursday that she and fellow lawmakers are still evaluating what, if anything, the Legislature could do to prevent the uranium operation from going forward.
But she is putting the matter at the top of the list of the agenda for the Legislature’s Environmental Caucus, which formed in December, and she expects one or more interim legislative committees to take up the issue in the coming months. She said she hopes to at least ensure a full environmental review occurs.
“I just think people always dive into these projects without adequate study, research and regulation to ensure the air, water and soil are not contaminated, not to mention the safety of people,” she told Source NM.
In addition to the state lawmakers, other officials who expressed opposition include chairs of both the state Land Grant Council and Acequia Commission, as well as the CEO of Ghost Ranch, which is south of the proposed uranium operation.
Rio Arriba County Chairman Moises Morales also said in the statement he intends to bring the matter before the county commission “to determine what official actions we can take to oppose uranium mining in our county and protect our communities for generations to come.”
