New Mexico is allocating $50 million to its state budget for the cleanup of abandoned uranium mines and other contaminated sites, according to State Senator Jeff Steinborn. The announcement was made on Facebook on February 8.
"we are adding $50 million to the state budget to clean up abandoned uranium mine sites and other contaminated sites," said Steinborn, District 36 NM State Senator, according to Facebook. "This has never been done before and it's hopefully the beginning of a more robust effort to confront generations or contamination left from national defense related uranium mining. When the mines went away, communities, many indigenous, were left with radioactive wastelands. It's time to make things right. In addition to requesting our congressional delegation to fight for federal funds,"
The Facebook post detailed a press conference held at the New Mexico State Capitol, attended by Senator Steinborn, Shannon Pinto, and other lawmakers. The event concentrated on uranium mining in New Mexico’s Grants Mineral Belt, an area historically significant for supplying uranium for national defense purposes. Steinborn said that the New Mexico Attorney General should consider pursuing legal action to secure federal funding for these cleanup efforts.
Senator Steinborn's Facebook post
| Facebook
According to the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, between 1948 and 1982, over 200 uranium mines in New Mexico produced more than 163,000 tons of uranium oxide. This production significantly contributed to both national defense and commercial energy needs. During this period, approximately 40% of the total uranium mined in the United States came from New Mexico, predominantly from the Grants Mineral Belt. However, changes in market conditions during the 1980s led to a decline in mining operations, resulting in numerous inactive mines and associated environmental issues.
State Senator Jeff Steinborn was elected to the New Mexico State Senate in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 after serving eight years in the New Mexico House of Representatives. He has been active in sponsoring legislation related to ethics reform, outdoor recreation, and environmental protection. His initiatives include creating the Rio Grande Trail and banning high-level nuclear waste storage within New Mexico. Steinborn is also known as a co-founder and Board President of Film Las Cruces and has previously worked as a congressional aide focusing on economic development, water resources, and veteran services.
