Midnite Mine

The Spokane Native Americans were forcibly moved off of their land in the 1880s to a small chunk of land that the United States government thought was arid. 70 years later the US government discovered uranium in the Spokane Indian Reservation (this uranium mine has been named Midnite Mine). During the 60s and 70s, the community's economy boomed with the increase in jobs. This short-lived success crashed after the demand for uranium decreased; the government and the mining corporations abandoned the reservation, leaving people jobless and the community spattered with radiative wreckage.

Beginning the 1980s, community members began connecting the dots; there were clearly higher instances of cancer closer to deserted mining roads and exposed ore. These observations sparked a reservation-wide activism, seeking reparations from the federal government. It took until 2006 to pressure the EPA into declaring the mine a Superfund site (which has yet to be cleaned by the government, let alone "surveyed"). Spokane activists are still pressuring the federal government to come out and educate individuals who may qualify for a congressional enactment that gives uranium workers (who mined before 1972) $100,000.

Deb Abrahamson, a tribal activist leader, states that it is near impossible to get in contact with federal officials. If a complaint is filed against the Health Dept. or the EPA, often the official argue against any claims made by a tribe representative, rendering the effort futile and lost. Little by little, however, attention is being drawn to the Midnite Mine case and the government moves closer and closer to full reparations and full cleanup.

The Spokane Indian Reservation's Midnite Mine case is an example of how peaceful grassroots efforts can seem futile in the face of mammoth government and corporations; but little by little resistance to the government's neglect can result in small victories.

In the meantime, the EPA advises the Spokane people to reduce the use of hunting, berry-picking, small-scale farming, fishing and use of spring water for sweat lodges due to the carcinogens that linger in these cultural pillars.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2004191779_pacificpuranium24.html
http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/9f3c21896330b4898825687b007a0f33/25f296f579940d8b88256744000327a5!OpenDocument