Science versus Fiction: Have New Mexico Environmentalists Been Telling the Truth

While it may be a speculative musing as tochronic exposure to mine dewatering effluent."
whether Chris Shuey influences the editorial voices"In light of the currently known cancer incidence
of the Gallup, and other New Mexico, media, itand mortality risks associated with levels of
does appear Mr. Shuey may have built theradionuclides measured at Church Rock and Gallup,
foundation for his career on a uranium-relatedwe conclude that the exposed populations are too
disaster. On the other hand, can someone blamesmall for investigators to detect increases in
an ambulance chaser for trying to make a living,cancer mortality with acceptable levels of
too? For lack of a Three-Mile-Island episode instatistical power. In fact, it may be misleading to
laid-back Gallup, New Mexico, Chris Shuey helpedestablish a (cancer) registry with the
establish Southwest Research and Informationforeknowledge of low probability of detecting
Center into a vocal "expert" counterpoint againstmortality increases."
the uranium industry by apparently piggy-backingIn spite of these scientific reports, Chris Shuey
the 1979 uranium mill tailings spill near Churchcontinued to promote the "Puerco River
Rock. It was considered one of the worst tailingsEducation" project as late as 1986. "The Gallup
spills ever to have occurred in North America. WeIndependent" lent a hand in promoting this panic,
searched for conclusive evidence of deaths fromand headlined a story, "Drink no Puerco water." In
this spill, but came up dry. Any official publisheda May 8th (1986) article, originating (conveniently)
report countering the preceding statement wouldfrom Albuquerque, where Chris Shuey resides,
be welcome.the reporter wrote, "What little water there is in
Founded in 1971, the SRIC group establishedthe Rio Puerco these days should not be
serious media credibility by milking the "dire andconsumed by man nor animal, according to the
grotesque" human and livestock healthSouthwest Research and Information Center of
consequences of that spill. But where was theAlbuquerque."
actual damage in terms of human life andPerhaps to strengthen his expertise as a health
ecological disaster? We obtained the Executiveauthority, Mr. Shuey pursued a Masters degree in
Summary (dated October 1982) of an NMEIDPublic Health at the University of New Mexico,
report, entitled, "The Church Rock Uranium Millacross the street from SRIC's headquarters. In
Tailings Spill: A Health and Environmentalhis thesis, Shuey authored an integral review of
Assessment." The authors of the reportthe literature for "Biomarkers of Kidney Injury -
concluded, "To summarize, the spill affected theChallenges for Uranium Exposure Studies"
Puerco River valley environment for a brief(submitted on April 29, 2002). After presenting
period, but it had little or no effect on the healththis paper, Shuey emerged with the unique
of local residents." This report was issued threeassertion that uranium leads to kidney cancers.
years after the "largest single release of liquidOn its website, the American Cancer Society lists
radioactive waste in the United States" (some 94smoking, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle as the
million gallons of acidified effluent and tailingsprimary risk factors which increase one's chances
slurry).in getting kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma).
Some might speculate if the newspaper reportsOccupation exposure to certain chemicals can also
published in 1979 about this spill have the soundincrease risk. Scientific studies found they could
and smell of shoddy, yellow journalism. Othersinclude: asbestos, cadmium (a type of metal),
might marvel if those stories were more suitedsome herbicides, benzene, and organic solvents,
only for the most laughable supermarket tabloids.particularly trichloroethylene. There is no mention
If one were to believe what was written then,by the American Cancer Society of uranium
the entire population of Gallup, New Mexico shouldexposure leading to kidney cancer. Cadmium is
have vanished off the face of the earth by now.another story, however.
Helping to fuel SRIC's present-day hysteria overThe problem with first reaching a conclusion and
uranium mining, the environmental group has beenthen researching the facts to confirm your
arguing that HRI's proposed uranium ISL project,preconceived notion negates the scientific process.
near the Church Rock boundary of the NavajoFor example, Shuey dances around the issue of
reservation, would cause ground watercadmium throughout his report, but fails to
contamination, perhaps with the same gravity ofcorrelate household trash burning with the dangers
the previous tailings spill. In a sense they appearof dioxins and cadmium when it comes to
to be evoking bad memories of that spill. "He iskidney-related problems and possible cancers. It
very good at using the media," sighed HRI's Craigappears Shuey may have failed to include the
Bartels. "It is a few people who are very vocal,"largest single source of toxic air emissions, which
explained Bartels as he described the SRIC'soccurred in New Mexico prior to June 1, 2004, as
opposition to his company's ISL operation,a potential cause of renal toxicity: trash burning.
"especially Chris Shuey, who touts himself as aAt this time, New Mexico remains one of the few
journalist."states, which has failed to ban the burning of
The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) did notelectronic equipment. Such trash burning
put much stock in the local media's sensationalism.reportedly releases high concentrations of
The following was excerpted from their officialcadmium into the air. Could it be that something
report on the uranium tailings spill:o "The U.S.as obvious as cadmium concentrations might be
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in cooperationthe risk factor leading to kidney cancer instead of
with the Church Rock community, found nothe purported uranium?
documented human consumption of river water.According to scientific researcher Dalway Swaine
Six Navajo individuals most likely exposed to spill(Trace Elements in Coal, Butterworths: 1990),
contaminants were selected by the CDC andCadmium is a toxic trace element in coal. Coal
tested at Los Alamos National Laboratory, wherecombustion contributes one tenth of the Cd to
they were found to have amounts of radioactivethe atmosphere, the same as volcanoes and is
material normally found in the human body."considered to be a minor source of atmospheric
Recommendation: No further action required.o "Nocadmium. The problem might not be uranium at
public, private or municipal wells producing waterall, but other chemicals. However, fund raisers to
for domestic use or livestock watering werereduce cadmium emissions, let alone anti-coal
affected by the spill. Wells drawing water solelymining fund raisers, might not lead to sell-out
from sandstone or limestone aquifers probably willcelebrity dinners in Santa Fe.
never be affected by spill contaminants."o "BasedIt appears to be little surprise that SRIC seems
on limited testing conducted by the CDC, theto be less concerned with the public health than
additional radiation risk from consumption of localwith their anti-nuclear agenda. Generally, the public
livestock is small. The risk is about the same asreaction to an environmentalist is a warm and
the increased risk from cosmic radiation incurredfuzzy feeling, "Wow, here is someone who truly
by moving from sea level to 5000 feet incares about our future." SRIC has closely worked
elevation."o "Computer modeling identified inhalationwith the third-world-like Navajo Nation, which
as the most significant pathway of radiationinstantly brings out the sympathy from any
exposure to man from the spill. However,liberal-minded individual. Indeed, when interviewed
sampling of airborne dust along the Puerco RiverShuey, he was on the reservation in a meeting.
in Gallup soon after the spill showed onlyHis publicly displayed concern for the Navajo is
background levels of radioactivity. Moreover, onecommendable. At the same time, one must also
year following the spill, radioactivity levels inponder that if the most frequent cause of death
Puerco River sediments were reduced significantlyamong Navajo adults is alcohol abuse (often
due to dilution with uncontaminated riveraccompanied by driving), then why hasn't SRIC
sediments."worked more closely to reduce that public health
The Church Rock incident had been reported uponissue?
in the "Journal of Health Physics" (July 1984: VolVisit the outskirts of any reservation and you will
47, No. 1) in an article entitled, "The Assessmentfind piles of beer, liquor and wine bottles. One
of Human Exposure to Radionuclides from alittered stop near Crownpoint, New Mexico took
Uranium Mill Tailings Release and Mine Dewateringon the personality of a landfill. Where are SRIC's
Effluent." This report was authored by two staffmercy cries for the abused Navajo? More
members of the U.S. Center for Disease ControlNavajos have died as a result of automobile
two staff members of the New Mexico Healthaccidents while intoxicated than from fifty years
and Environment Department and a staffof uranium mining. But then again, that may be of
member of the U.S. Environmental Protectionlittle concern to an environmentalist group. Navajo
Agency. Two powerful conclusions were reachedNation president Joe Shirley, Jr. might make better
in this report:use of Mr. Shuey by asking him, "Can you help us
"A review of state and federal regulations thatout with the alcohol problem, instead?"
pertain to the ingestion doses calculated from theCOPYRIGHT © 2007 by StockInterview, Inc.
Church Rock data indicated that no exposureALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
limits were exceeded by the spill, or through