CURRENT PRESS RELEASE
IACHR Grants Thematic Hearing on Impacts to Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights from Uranium Exploitation
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Media Contacts
-Eric Jantz, Legal Director, New Mexico Environmental Law Center, (505) 980-5239, ejantz@nmelc.org
-Jonathan Perry, Executive Director, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, (505) 979-1027, jperry@swuraniumimpacts.org
IACHR HOSTS HISTORIC HEARING ON IMPACTS TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ HUMAN RIGHTS FROM URANIUM EXPLOITATION
Hearing to be Held in Washington, D.C.
On Weds, Feb. 28th at 11am EST/9am MST
What: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ Thematic Hearing
Where: IACHR/OAS, 1889 F St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006
When: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 11am EST/9am MST
Who: Members of the Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, Oglala Lakota & Havasupai Nations will provide testimony
Why: Impacts of Uranium Exploitation on the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the United States
How to attend: In-person at IACHR/Organization of American States (OAS) located at 1889 F St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006 or watch online on IACHR’s website https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/sessions/?S=189 or on the IACHR YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@comisionIDH
******Members of our delegation will be available for interviews with members of the press immediately following the hearing at 12:30PM EST in front of the OAS building, 1889 F. St. NW, Washington, DC 20006.*********
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—In a decision that coincides with a disturbing uptick in uranium development activity, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights will hold a “thematic” hearing on how U.S. uranium exploitation policies have resulted in human rights abuses in Indigenous communities across the country.
Read full release
Past Press Releases
Mt Taylor Mine to Close!
In a stunning victory for Native communities, Rio Grande Resources (RGR), owner of the Mt Taylor uranium mine, notified the Mining and Minerals Division (MMD) of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department of “cessation of mining operations” and...
Eric Jantz Named Environmental Lawyer of the Year
Eric Jantz, Staff Attorney for the nonprofit New Mexico Environmental Law Center, is being honored by the Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law section of the New Mexico Bar Association as Lawyer of the Year. Eric has been with the Law Center for eighteen...
AND THE WINNER IS: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
The New Mexico Environmental Law Center bestowed its annual Toxic Turkey Award to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for nearly six decades of polluting the human and natural environment and continuous violations of basic principles of environmental justice. The...
EPA Repeal of Water Rule Threatens New Mexico’s Waters and Communities
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers repealed the 2015 Obama-era Rule that clarified the definition of "Waters of the US" (WOTUS). Waters that are included in WOTUS receive protection under the Clean Water Act. The settings for the...
McKinley Uranium Working Group Gains/Loses County Commission Support
On July 30, Percy Anderson and Janene Yazzie of the McKinley County Uranium Working Group, which has been seeking County Commission support for a Blue Ribbon Task Force to study the impacts of uranium mining in the County, appeared to get support from two of the three...
District Court Denies Augustin Plains Ranch Application – Again!
In a brief Memorandum, 7thJudicial District Court Judge Matthew Reynolds granted the Motions for Summary Judgment filed by the New Mexico Environmental Law Center for approximately 80 residents of the San Agustin Plains and by the Catron County Board of County...
Community Groups Send Notice of Intent to Sue Air Force
Today, the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), New Mexico Voices for Children, New Mexico State Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, New Mexico State Senator Mimi Stewart, New Mexico State Representative G. Andres Romero, and three individual residents of the impacted...
Victory in Aquifer Science East Mountains Water Case
"Albuquerque District Court Judge Shannon Bacon denied the ground water pumping application of Aquifer Science, a Nevada-based water speculator, to appropriate 350 acre feet of ground water in the East Mountain area of Albuquerque. The Office of the State Engineer had...
Navajo Community Files Report with UN Human Rights Committee
The Law Center issued a press release announcing a report filed with the United Nations Human Rights Committee charging the United States with violating the human rights of minority and indigenous communities affected by decades of uranium mining and milling. The...
Commissioner Quezada Defends South Valley – Still Supports Santolina Development
At the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) Board Meeting on December 4th, both County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada and City Councilor Klarissa Peña spoke out about preserving South Valley agriculture. Councilor Peña said she “fears”...
Toxic Turkey Award Goes to Oil Conservation Division and Oil Conservation Commission
The New Mexico Environmental Law Center gave the annual Toxic Turkey Award to the Oil Conservation Division (OCD) and the Oil Conservation Commission (OCC) for their failure to adequately regulate the oil and gas industry. The Law Center gives the Toxic Turkey Award...
BIG WIN! State Engineer Rejects Third Augustin Plains Ranch Application
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, August 2, 2018 State Engineer Denies Augustin Plains Ranch Groundwater Application Application Deemed Speculative SANTA FE – The State Engineer has denied as speculative Augustin Plains Ranch’s most recent application for withdrawal...
Mining Commission Final Order for Mt Taylor “Zombie Mine” Permit
SANTA FE – The Mining Commission issued its Final Order on the Mt Taylor uranium mine operating permit, declaring that essentially anything a mining company does that “disturbs” the land is mining and that a mine operating permit does not require that actual ore...
Hearing Begins on Mt Taylor Permit Review
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, May 5, 2018 Community Groups Appeal Zombie Uranium Mine Mining Commission Public Hearing Monday May 7th SANTA FE, N.M. — On Monday, May 7th, the New Mexico Mining Commission will begin hearings on an appeal of the “Return to Active”...
Law Center Files Petition for Review of Mt Taylor Permit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Zombie Uranium Mine Begins to Stir Mining and Minerals Division Permit Violates State Mining Act SANTA FE, N.M. — The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and Amigos Bravos filed a Petition for...