The Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute tribe hosted the 2025 Southwest Uranium Convention in September.
The conference in White Mesa, Utah, focused on the impact of the uranium industry on Native communities. Tribal advocates urged for stronger protections against contamination and fairer compensation for victims.
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe opposes the nearby Energy Fuels uranium mill, while areas of the Navajo Nation continue to face contamination impacts from abandoned mines.
The Navajo Uranium Radiation Victims Committee issued a resolution demanding an end to uranium activity on Native lands and faster payouts under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, or RECA.
Enacted in 1990, RECA provides reparations to miners, downwinders, and workers exposed to radiation. Amendments passed in July 2024 extended claims through 2027 and expanded eligibility to several states, but Colorado was excluded from this expansion.
Navajo Uranium Radiation Victims Committee members pressed for Colorado’s inclusion at the White Mesa uranium Convention.
The group is also seeking federal funding for studies on the health impacts of uranium.
Earlier this year, the Bureau of Land Management fast-tracked approval for the reopening of a uranium mine in southeast Utah. This came after President Trump issued an executive order aimed at increasing domestic mineral production, including uranium.
In February, the Navajo Nation and Energy Fuels, Inc., signed an agreement allowing the transportation of uranium ore through the Navajo Nation.
