New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

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The 2022 Uranium Mine Cleanup Act signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham spurred efforts to address gaps in the cleanup of neglected Abandoned Uranium Mines (AUMs).With many of these AUMs located across the state, a continued reclamation effort requires sustainable funding, a dedicated workforce, and a coordinated approach to protect the health of communities and the environment. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Office of Strategic Initiatives leads the reclamation for sites lacking a viable responsible party, but the success of these cleanup efforts depends on collaborative partnerships with federal, state, tribal, and private stakeholders. The first site slated for cleanup, located on State Trust Lands in the Grants Mineral Belt, the Moe No. 4 mine, was mined in the late 1950s and includes a headframe, waste rock piles, a decline, and historic artifacts. It also sits on top of EPA’s Central Study Area CERCLA-alternative boundary that addresses groundwater quality issues underneath the site.