#Uranium company’s finalized #NewMexico plan includes treating, dumping water into nearby river

#DinéActivist says #EnergyFuels doesn’t understand #MountTaylor’s sacredness

Thursday, May 28, 2026
By Patrick Lohmann,

"A #Colorado uranium company recently submitted a finalized operation plan to New Mexico officials, signaling that it — along with multiple other out-of-state companies — is increasingly serious about mining uranium in the state.

"Energy Fuels, Inc. submitted a 273-page operations and '#reclamation' plan earlier this month that details how it plans to extract uranium from more than 1,600 feet below the surface within the #CibolaNationalForest boundaries in McKinley County, then transport it to its mill in #BlandingUT.

"New Mexico Environmental Law Center Legal Director Eric Jantz told Source NM on Tuesday that the plan represents the company’s renewed intent to receive a permit following more than a decade on hiatus.

" 'We’re taking it seriously,' he said of the plan. 'And we’re going to be doing what we can to make sure that this #EnvironmentalReview is done properly, and that community interests are protected.'

"The company’s plan describes how it would pump #groundwater from the mineshaft to access the #UraniumOre, then treat the water and release it into the nearby #RioSanJose. Jantz told Source NM that the 'dewatering”'of the mine is an immense technical undertaking and one that threatens to deplete the #groundwater supply during a period of prolonged #drought.

" 'It’s gonna deplete the water table in a significant radius around the proposed mine, and that water table won’t recover for decades, if ever,' he said.

"Energy Fuels officials did not respond to Source NM’s emailed request for comment Tuesday.

"In addition to the 'dewatering,' the proposed mine site lies within the boundaries of the Mount Taylor Traditional Cultural Property. Mount Taylor is sacred to several #Indigenous tribes and pueblos in New Mexico, including the #Navajo and #Laguna peoples.

"Energy Fuels’ operations plan notes that if its permit is approved, the company will take steps to preserve the 'viewshed' of Mount Taylor in recognition of the #SacredMountain and will, to the extent possible, 'protect scenic values' at the site.

"After reading that section of the plan, Diné anti-nuclear advocate #LeonaMorgan told Source NM that Energy Fuels officials clearly do not understand the value of Mount Taylor to the Navajo people.

" 'It’s not just a visual aspect. It’s not just to look at the mountain. It’s for the integrity of the mountain itself,' she said. 'When we’re talking about #SacredPlaces and #MotherEarth, these are our relatives. That’s how we consider them. They themselves have rights and definitely should not be basically raped and pillaged, which is what mining is.' "

Read more:
https://indianz.com/News/2026/05/28/source-new-mexico-uranium-mine-under-consideration-near-sacred-mount-taylor/

#NoUraniumMining #IndigenousResistance #ProtectTheSacred #IndigenousNews #NativeAmericanNews

HB2758 would allow a New York investment fund to drain 26 billion gallons of groundwater from La Paz County aquifers, eliminating the only state law protecting groundwater for rural communities. La Paz County supervisors are asking for more regulation, not less. The bill passed the House and awaits a Senate floor vote.

Contact your state senator now.

Details: https://weekly.cebv.us/2026-05-18/

Please boost.
#Arizona #AZWater #Groundwater #WaterRights #LaPazCounty

Thanks to the team at Wombeyan Caves for another successful groundwater research fieldtrip.

Cave drip loggers were downloaded for the last 7 months. Drip water and groundwater samples wwre collected for tracer analysis. The drip logger sites from the 2000s and the research of Janece McDonald were inspected. A Syp water sampler was installed, maybe it will work. And impromptu sci-comm occurred with cave tours groups.

The loggers recorded only one recharge event here since our last visit in September with @michcampbell. It was pretty dry.

#caves #groundwater #research #fieldwork #academia

Where in Europe is tap water the most and least safe?

Water purity varies across Europe, with Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic having some of the most polluted groundwater on the continent.

https://mediafaro.org/article/20260508-where-in-europe-is-tap-water-the-most-and-least-safe?mf_channel=mastodon&action=forward

#Water #Europe #DrinkingWater #Groundwater #Environment

AI hallucination in a SPRINGER publication A Global Perspectives on Contaminants in Groundwater:

The "Springer" Glitch List

"Pochemical" Activities: It is a classic AI spelling mutation, likely a botched attempt at "petrochemical" or "geochemical."

The Double Trouble: "Industrial Pollution" appears twice at the top because the AI model likely "lost the thread" of the list and defaulted to its most confident training weights.

#books
#AI
#Springer
#groundwater
#contamination
#water

Does anyone have suggestions for a (lake) water level monitoring system? Ideally it would be nice to have one that can do readings and record it (data downloadable by bluetooth or something?) manual stick-in-lake method is somewhat feasible, but I would be interested in more consistency. Problem is, no grants for this, so needs to be quite affordable.
@Andbaker maybe you would have ideas?

#water #groundwater #science #data #lake #pond #hydrology #river #climate

Drinking water near coasts is under threat worldwide: A recent study shows how the salinization of groundwater due to over-abstraction and rising sea levels is becoming a global problem 👉 https://press.uni-mainz.de/drinking-water-near-coasts-is-under-threat-worldwide/

#DrinkingWater #groundwater #water #seawater