Helping Mother Earth HealDiné College and Natural Remedies

for U.S. Department of Energy Uranium Processing Sites

on Navajo Land

Shiprock Public MeetingShiprock ChapterAugust 17, 2011

Jody Waugh, S.M. Stoller CorporationGarry Jay, Intern, U.S. Department of Energy

Perry Charley and Marnie Carroll, Diné Environmental Institute, Diné College

2

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) Sites

LM Mission:“. . . ensure the future protection of human health and the environment.”

3

Many LM sites are former uranium millsRemedies include engineered covers for mill tailings and groundwater cleanup

Remedies at LM Sites

4

GROUNDWATER

SOIL VADOSE ZONE

PLUME

CONTAMINANTSOURCE

RADON GAS

TAILINGS

Uranium Mill Tailings:Contaminant Release Pathways

5

Cover

CONTAMINANTSOURCE

RADON GAS

RESIDUAL PLUMEGROUNDWATER

SOIL VADOSE ZONECONTAMINANT

SOURCE

TAILINGS

Residual groundwater contamination may remain

Remedy: Engineered Cover

Shiprock, New Mexico

Monument Valley, Arizona

Mexican Hat, Utah

Tuba City, Arizona

DOE Uranium Processing Sites on Navajo Land

7

Uranium Mining Regions and Mill Sites on Navajo Land

Diné College, Tsaile, Arizona

10

Diné College Educational PhilosophySá’ah Naagháí Bik’eh Hózhóón

Roughly translated: “walking or being in the pattern of beauty that surrounds you,” or, in other words, placing human life in harmony with the natural world

Nitsáhákees – consciousness or creative thoughtNahatá – planning, actions, and implementation of our thoughts and ideasIiná – living by achieving quality outcomes of thoughts and actions as a communitySiih Hasin – having the assurance of personal stability and satisfaction with life’s achievements

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Shiprock, New Mexico

Diné Environmental Institute (DEI)

DEI unites the traditional Sá’ah Naagháí Bik’eh Hózhóónphilosophy with Western environmental science methodsCurriculum and research programs are linked with the four Navajo sacred elements of natural systems:

Fire/Light – Increase applications of renewable energy technology including solar and wind resources for families not connected to the gridAir – Improve outdoor and indoor air quality affecting the health of Navajo people (radon and proper fuel use)Water – Improve water quality including groundwater quality, watershed management, erosion control, drought mitigation, and waterborne diseasesEarth – Improve remediation and reclamation of abandoned coal mines, and abandoned uranium mines and mills

12

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Ultimate goal: Balance and harmony between humans and nature – everything has a place Uranium is approached with understanding of its placement in natural order and its propertiesRegarded as the antithesis of the sacred corn pollen used to bless Navajo livesDiné traditional belief is that illness is related to an imbalance in lifeMining disrupts the balance of Earth and Sky and therefore is disrespectful to Mother EarthWholistic healing –interconnectiveness between physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual existence

Enhanced Attenuation Research:Linking Navajo Tradition and Science

Navajo tradition teaches us to fulfill our duty as caretakers of Mother Earth by helping her restore and maintain the natural balance of the landNavajo science is asking two questions: 1. What is Mother Earth already

doing to cleanse desert soil and groundwater?

2. How can we help her?The answers may involve native plants (phytoremediation) and existing microbes (bioremediation) in soil and groundwater

Father Sky, Mother Earth (Weaving)

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Shiprock Mill Circa 1960

16

Disposal Cell

Shiprock, New Mexico, Disposal Cell

Shiprock Groundwater Uranium Plume:Phytoremediation Study Area

ESCARPMENT

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%U

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DisposalCell

0766

(0.135)

(3.175)

(1.837)

(4.211)

(0.885)

(1.233)

(0.57)

(0.674)(1.29)

(2.78)

(1.49)

(0.353)

(0.746)

(4.42)

(0.0019) (0.0027)

(2.5)

(1.09)(0.924)

(0.0109)

(1510)

(4.44)

(0.238)

(0.13)

(3.32)

(0.142)

(0.322)

(0.15)

(0.122)

(0.0297)

(0.0788)

(0.912)

(0.403)

(0.0542)

(2.05)

(0.992)

(2.83)

(0.131)

(0.063)

(1.8)

(2.679)

(2.944)

(1.037)

(0.105)

(2.188)

(1.518)

(1.926)(4.304)

(1.678)

(3.361)

(1.399)

(0.13)

(0.224)

(2.667)

(0.215)

(3.231)

(0.162)

(0.614)

(3.608)

(1.068)(2.086)

(1.657)

(1.807)

(1.319)

(1.216)

(1.786)

(0.35)

(1.156)

(1.976)(0.788)

(0.982)

(1.381)

(0.413)

(0.216)

(0.824)

(0.711)

(2.31)

1021

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(0.2)

(0.0017)

(0.043)

(0.0138)

(0.115)

(0.141)

(0.125)

(0.316)

(3.26)

(0.594)

(0.245)

(0.0685)

(0.406)

(0.0564)

(0.0437)

(0.106)

(0.0362)

(0.144)

(0.141)

(1.88)

(0.226)

(0.107)

(0.0393)

(0.159)

(0.405)

(0.0135)

(1.13)

(1.27)

(0.0412)

(0.949)

(0.0171)

(0.0129)

(0.0751)

(0.126)

(0.0805)

(0.0339)

(0.0553)

(0.03)

(0.0324)

(0.039)

Floodplain

TerraceEast

TerraceWest

1000 0 1000 Feet

#S Well Location%U Test Pit Location

N

S.M. Stoller CorporationWork Performed by

Under DOE ContractNo. DE-AC01-02GJ79491

DATE PREPARED:

*

FILENAME:

GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Floodplain and Terrace Uranium PlumesShiprock Site, New Mexico

U0195700-02

0.044

0.2

0.5

2.0

5.8

0.0039

Uranium (mg/L)

0826(3.26)

Location NumberUranium Concentration (mg/L)

m:\ugw\511\0020\46\u01957\u0195700.apr smithw 3/11/2004, 12:48

March 11, 2004

Terrace Escarpment

18

Terrace Escarpment, North of Shiprock Uranium Tailings Disposal Cell

Terrace Escarpment

Volunteer black greasewood(Sarcobatus vermiculatus)

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Shiprock Pilot Study ObjectivesPlant, irrigate, and accelerate spread of native desert phreatophytes Hydraulic control: stop seeps and spread of uranium plume into floodplain aquiferLimit plant uptake of uranium

Cover

PLUME

GROUNDWATER

TAILINGS

SOURCE ?SOIL VADOSE ZONE

21

Phytoremediation of Soil and Groundwater: Desert Phreatophytes Tested Black greasewood Díwózhiishzhiin(Sarcobatus vermiculatus)

Goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae) Monoecious or dioecious native shrubObligate phreatophyte: roots almost always grow into groundwater

22

Phytoremediation of Soil and Groundwater: Desert Phreatophytes Tested Fourwing saltbush Díwózhii_beii(Atriplex canescens)

Goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae) Dioecious native shrubFacultative phreatophyte: roots sometimes grow into groundwater

Diné College Student Participation

Soil testingField sampling of soils and vegetation

24

25

Diné College Student Participation (continued)

Planting and irrigating test plots

Diné College Student Participation (continued)

Plant measurements and tissue sampling

27

0.00

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2007 2008 20102007 2008 2010 2007 2008 20102007 2008 2010

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Plot 3 Plot 4

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6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00 Fourwing saltbush

Black greasewood

Fourwing saltbush

Black greasewood

Fourwing saltbush

Black greasewood

2007 2008 2010 2007 2008 2010 2007 2008 2010 2007 2008 2010

Can

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Volu

me

(m3 )

Changes in fourwing saltbush and black greasewood plant canopy volume

Terrace NE Terrace NW

00.0050.0100.0150.0200.0250.0300.0350.0400.045

Plot 3SAVE

Plot 4SAVE

VolunteerSAVE

Plot 3ATCA

(Mean and SE of the Mean)

Plot 4ATCA

VolunteerCHNA

ControlCHNA

Ura

nium

(mg/

kg)

Background (literature): 0.005 – 0.060 mg/kg

Uranium in Terrace Phyto Plots(mg/kg Plant Stems and Leaves – DW)

29

ESCARPMENT

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(4000)

(135)

(190)

(<0.0314)

(42.2)

(9.6)

(7)

(49.2)(372)

(18.8)

(9.1)

(16.9)

(396)

(10.2)

(138.2)

(29.4)

(330)(14.3)

(802)

(69.1)

(2.2)

(30.6)

(30.3)

(15.9)

(29.6)

(11.2)

(222.4)

(880)

(8.9)

(704)(528)

(575)

(17.2)

(41.6)

(51)

(20.9)

(21.5)

(2390)

(40.2)

(223)

(3600)

(77.4)

(3340)

(0.135)

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(0.357)

(4.46)

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(1740)

(0.464)

(2.17)

(1610)(<0.0342)

(0.655)

(961)

(1510)

(0.228)

(120)(61.7)

(1100)

(0.0385)(0.147)

(1250)

(959)

(3.04)

(133)

(899)

(759)(657)

(59.2)

(53.2)

(10.7)

(2112)

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(836)

(13)

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DisposalCell

Floodplain

TerraceEast

TerraceWest

1000 0 1000 Feet

#S Well Location%U Test Pit Location

N

S.M. Stoller CorporationWork Performed by

Under DOE ContractNo. DE-AC01-02GJ79491

DATE PREPARED:

*

FILENAME:

GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Floodplain and Terrace Nitrate PlumesShiprock Site, New Mexico

U0195700-01

0.277

10,000

3,000

1,000

300

100

30

10

Nitrate (mg/L)

0848(973)

Location NumberNitrate Concentration (mg/L)

m:\ugw\511\0020\46\u01957\u0195700.apr smithw 3/11/2004, 12:43

March 11, 2004

Diné College Orchard Risk Screening Study

Objectives• Sample groundwater constituents• Sample orchard tree stems,

leaves, and fruit• Compare orchard results with

background values

College Orchard

30

Diné College Student Participation

Bio-uptake study at the Diné College orchard

0

0.005

0.010

0.015

0.020

0.025

Apples Peaches NectarinesStems and Leaves

Apricots Cherries ApplesFruit

Ura

nium

(mg/

kg)

Non-Detect

Literature: 0.005 – 0.060 mg/kg DW

(Mean and SE of the Mean)

Uranium: Diné College Orchard(mg/kg Plant Stems, Leaves, and Fruit – DW)

Summary of Shiprock Phytoremediation Pilot Studies (Preliminary)

33

Summary of Shiprock Phytoremediation Pilot Studies (Preliminary) (continued)

Black greasewood and fourwing saltbush both established and grew healthy Water chemistry data indicated that volunteer plants are rooted in alluvial groundwater (capillary fringe) Uranium levels in test-plot plants were not above background levels Uranium levels in orchard leaves and fruit tissues were not above background levels

34

Epilogue

Weaving STEM education and cultureNational Science Foundation documentaryFilm clip about Diné College and DOE collaboration

35

National Science Foundation DocumentaryWeaving STEM Education and Culture