The church cares for creations, Laguna and Mount Taylor

By Fr. Larry Bernard, O.F.M.Published Friday, March 13, 2009 9:18 AM MDT

Editor’s Note: Larry Bernard is Pastor of the Laguna and Acoma Pueblos Catholic churches.

Fr. Larry Bernard, OFM, Pastor of the Catholic Churches of both Laguna and Acoma Pueblos toured the remains of the Laguna Jackpile Uranium Mine last year with a group of about 30 people.

The tour was sponsored by MASE (Multi-Cultural Alliance for a Safe Environment), approved and accompanied by Gov. John Antonio of Laguna Pueblo with New Mexico Lt. Gov. Diane Denish attending, and led by Chuck Schultz of the Environmental and Natural Resources Dept. of the Laguna Pueblo.

We learned several interesting facts.

Many are the people suffering from uranium poisoning.

Some of those mining before 1971 have been modestly compensated. Up to now those suffering from the radiation after 1971 have not been compensated.

The mine has so disturbed seven square miles of land that they have become unsafe and unusable. The clean waters of the Rio Paguate and the Rio Moquino run into the mine area and become contaminated.

The contamination level is 1,000 times above the level considered safe. Deer and other wild animals find their way into this land.

Several million dollars would be necessary to study the effect of the uranium on the soil, water and the animals. Millions of dollars have been spent already in reclaiming the land. To fully reclaim the land Mr. Schultz indicated that already in 1982 BIA and BLM documents stated that the cost could easily rise to 400 million dollars.

The group did this tour to get an idea of what could happen if uranium strip mining were allowed on Mount Taylor or any other area.Fr. Larry recalled some thoughts from the statement our New Mexico Catholic Bishops made already more than ten years ago in 1998.

We, the Catholic Bishops of New Mexico, out of our concern for the people and land of our state, commend the following statement for personal reflection and public action.

Increasingly we are aware of the critical environmental devastation which faces our planetary home. Evidence of environmental degradation surrounds us: "��- radioactive and toxic waste lacking adequate disposal sites; threats to the health of industrial and farm workers. Poisoned water crosses borders freely. ��-”In several areas of our state waste deposits and mining pollution affect both human settlements and the natural environment. ��-Pope John Paul II called us to recognize that this crisis is, at its core, a deeply moral challenge:

"Faced with the widespread destruction of the environment, people everywhere are coming to understand that we cannot continue to use the goods of the earth as we have in the past . . ..

A new ecological awareness is beginning to emerge. ��- The ecological crisis is a moral issue.

"In view of the seriousness of the environmental crisis, and recalling that we are stewards of creation, responsible for leaving our world in good condition for the next generation, Fr. Larry has agreed with the Laguna, Acoma, Zuni, Hopi and Navajo along with MASE to oppose uranium mining, and in particular on Mount Taylor.

Where such mining takes place traditional native religious usage become unsafe.

In addition and of concern to all Americans, camping, piñon picking, hiking and other use by all nature lovers whether native Americans or not, become unsafe, while the beauty of the land is obliterated.

The MASE group stresses that what is called for is serious development of solar, wind, biomass and geothermal power.

While not contaminating the environment at the same time renewable energy development brings an abundance of healthy jobs.