"A Native American community neighboring the only operating uranium mill in the U.S. is hoping a new study will answer longstanding questions about whether it is affecting their health.
Members of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe living in White Mesa, Utah, say they have seen an alarming increase in health problems in recent years.
"I am aware that there have been increased levels of cancer," says Scott Clow, the tribe's environmental director. "We don't have any evidence tying that to the mill at this point, but we have our concerns."
The Environmental Protection Agency in June gave the approximately 2,000 member tribe a $75,000 grant to design a study that will be conducted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Clow says. It will analyze tribal members' health data and environmental conditions to see if any links can be made to the Energy Fuels uranium mill. Results are expected in 2025."
