Uranium miners testify on RECA amendments
The 32nd anniversary of the Church Rock uranium tailings spill was observed July 16 with an awareness march starting from the home of Teddy Nez to the site of the uranium tailings spill in Church Rock, N.M. July 2011
SHIPROCK
In the late 1970’s LeRoy Becenti went to uranium mining school and became a utility miner for Kerr-McGee in Church Rock, New Mexico.
“I was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer,” said Becenti. “They are telling me it’s from the uranium.”
Since Becenti did not work in the mines until after 1971, he, as well as hundreds of other Navajo uranium miners, are not eligible for compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.
“It’s not fair for some of us that worked underground,” said Becenti who started working for Kerr-McGee right after he graduated from high school. “The ones that were drilling, digging and taking out ore.” Becenti recently lost his older brother, Edison Becenti, to cancer. He was also a uranium miner.
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