Kilowatt Ours Interviews
Melton Martinez - Elder, Navajo Nation
Melton Martinez - Part One
Chapter Three
- Any waste that the company had left over they just left lay on the ground and the public hauled if off to do things with it and not knowing that is was all contaminated.
- My uncle was involved in a mine collapse with six other men. They have all died of cancer.
- Every where you go you find waste that is contaminated.
Melton Martinez - Part Two
Chapter Three
- Back in the 1950's my grandfather discovered uranium in this region.
- Any one who has mined or milled or hauled the ore are all exposed and now they have all died of cancer or other diseases. Even the families of the men died. They transferred the contamination from their fingernails and clothing.
- Our people have not even had a chance at life. What will happen to him if they start mining again.
- We are the elders now and we are only in our 40's.
- All the waste is coming back to here from Paducah.
- Who is going to go down and turn on the lights if everyone is gone.
- Maybe we should use a source of energy like the wind or solar.
Relevant Links:
- PubMed.gov: Uranium mining and lung cancer in Navajo men
- PubMed.gov: Mortality among Navajo uranium miners
- PubMed.gov: Lung cancer among Navajo uranium miners
- PubMed.gov: Mortality from lung cancer in Ontario uranium miners
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Uranium Enrichment
- Paducah, KY Gaseous Diffusion Plant
