New Mexico lawmakers look to clean up abandoned uranium mines
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico lawmakers and the New Mexico Environment Department are pushing to clean up New Mexico's abandoned uranium mines this legislative session. For decades, officials say uranium mines have been polluting the air, water, wildlife, and its habitats, especially in the Grants Mining District.
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On Friday, officials discussed their plans to address the contamination, including Senate Bill 260 which is requesting $50 million in appropriated funds to assess and clean up the sites. But, the New Mexico Department of Natural Resources says even with no owners, the abandoned sites are not under their jurisdiction.
'We are aware of these abandoned sites continue to leak hazardous substances into the soil, into the water, get blown about in the air, but we don't have a way to address them yet,' said New Mexico Natural Resources Trustee Maggie Hart Stebbins.
Lawmakers also say some of the funds would go toward a legal team that would chase down uranium-affected sites and ensure owners clean them up. On Friday, they also called on state Attorney General Raúl Torrez to take legal action against the federal government for the contamination.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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