Dear Defenders,

This newsletter is about a couple of new projects, a call for prizes for a Spring Raffle, and a form letter you can sign or rewrite in your own words. There is also a petition on line at  http://bullhorn.nationofchange.org/support_the_call_to_clean_up_the_mines

1. The first project is regarding plans to mine Rare Earth elements from a sacred mountain near Tipi Mahto (Devil’s Tower) in Wyoming just northwest of the Black Hills. Rare Earth elements are radioactive. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has given until Jan. 15 for requests or a petition for a hearing. We will be requesting a hearing as this sacred mountain should not be desecrated or destroyed. The mining will do both. For those online seeking more information go to the Bear Lodge Project at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission website. We will be letting everyone know if and when the hearing will occur.

2. Another project is in the planning stages to spend a week in Washington, DC, doing presentations entitled: “The Invisible Killer; Radioactive Pollution in Unsuspected Places.” Hopefully we will get the funding we need to take four to six tribal members from the Northern Great Plains to talk about the pollution from Abandoned Uranium Mines, Coal strip mining and Coal power plants, and the radioactive pollution of the Missouri River from the Bakken Oil Range.

We are doing this in coordination with Clean Up the Mines organization whose main project is the cleanup of the 15,000 abandoned Uranium mines in the western states. We are planning an all Native American delegation because for us, the effects of this radioactive pollution is genocide. At least six members from the Southwest will also be participating including Navajo, Pueblo, and possible others from the Indigenous nations in that region.

We are all the miners’ canary warning the rest of the country about this radioactive pollution in North America and what it does to people. We will be encouraging people to contact their legislators regarding our bill to clean up the U mines, and also bringing to light the need for monitoring and regulating radioactive particles in coal. In addition, something must be done to clean up the Missouri River of the radioactive particles in there as well. Also, a form letter on the Abandoned Uranium Mines is attached.

Prayers for our Washington, DC, project would be greatly appreciated. We will be praying while we are there for all the federal workers, for Congress, and for all the American people.

3. One of our members has offered to handle a Spring Raffle. This is a call for prizes for the Raffle. Artists, jewelry makers, anyone wanting to donate a prize, please let us know. The Raffle brings us extra money for postage, gas money, and other expenses. Also, if you wish to sell Raffle tickets, they are $1 a piece, or 6 for $5. We plan on doing the drawing on May 1st.   Looking forward to hearing from you. Please get in touch with me at the above address.

Respectfully submitted by Charmaine White Face, Coordinator

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Date __________


President Barak Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama,

I have recently learned of the more than 15,000 abandoned Uranium mines in the United States that are causing radioactive pollution to affect millions of Americans. There is a draft bill called the Uranium Exploration and Mining Accountability Act which has been submitted to Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-NM).

Please, will you encourage Congressman Grijalva, and many other Congressional representatives to pass this Act as soon as possible.

No existing federal laws require cleanup of these hazardous sites. When the price dropped in the 1970s, the mining companies just walked away as there were no mining reclamation laws in place.

There is no dose of radioactivity that is safe according to recent studies by scientists and doctors. Yet, these abandoned Uranium mines and prospects are contaminating the air, the water, and the soil with the wind and the rain and snow.

Many abandoned Uranium mines are also located close to National Parks such as the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore putting millions of tourists at risk by breathing in the radioactive contaminants in the air. This is unbelievable.

As the President, we look to you for leadership in protecting us from dangers within the United States as well as from outside threats. This radioactive pollution is one of the most hazardous threats to the nations health. Please, do what you can to begin the clean up of all these abandoned Uranium mines. Thank you.

Sincerely,

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Signature Printed Name

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Address

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