LMS/TUB/S18769 Tuba City, Arizona, Disposal Site COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF LEGACY MANAGEMENT MAY 2021 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1: Overview 1 Section 2: Site Overview 2 2.1: History 2 2.2: Site Description and Location 3 Section 3: Community Background 4 3.1: Community Profle 4 3.2: Community Involvement 7 3.3: Outreach Events 7 3.4: Outreach Materials 12 Section 4: Community Concerns 13 4.1: Response to Community Concerns 13 4.2: Summary of Communication Needs 15 Section 5: Community Involvement Strategy 16 5.1: Community Involvement Activities 16 5.2: Community Involvement Activities Time Frame Summary 19 APPENDICES Appendix A: LM Regional Contacts A-1 Appendix B: Local Ofcials B-1 Appendix C: Elected State Ofcials C-1 Appendix D: Elected Federal Ofcials D-1 Appendix E: Environmental and Active Citizens Groups E-1 Appendix F: Media Contacts F-1 Appendix G: Meeting Locations G-1 Appendix H: Other Local Resources H-1 i TUBA CITY, ARIZONA, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN SECTION 1: OVERVIEW The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Ofce of Legacy Management (LM) developed this Community Involvement Plan (CIP) to facilitate communication and encourage community involvement within Navajo Nation and Hopi communities surrounding the Tuba City, Arizona, Disposal Site. LM will use the community involvement activities outlined in this plan to ensure that community members are informed and provided opportunities to be involved. LM plans to support public awareness of the Tuba City site by: ʒ Informing the public about current and planned activities related to the site. ʒ Educating the public about site activities. ʒ Presenting information to correct misperceptions about the site. ʒ Providing public access to site information, reports, and other documents. ʒ Promoting use of the LM website as a source of information. ʒ Participating in Navajo Nation Fairs, STEM events and community events. LM will foster communication with Tuba City site stakeholders by: ʒ Participating in regular meetings with stakeholders. ʒ Sharing information. ʒ Remaining open to all input and suggestions. Multiple information sources were used to develop this plan, including community interviews, activities currently being performed at the site, site fles, and community meeting records. Ofce of Legacy Management Presentation to Dine’ Uranium Remediation Advisory Council, May 2019 1 TUBA CITY, ARIZONA, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN SECTION 2: SITE OVERVIEW 2.1: HISTORY Rare Metals Corporation of America and its successor, El Paso Natural Gas Company, operated a uranium mill at the Tuba City site between 1956 and 1966. During 10 years of operation, the mill processed approximately 800,000 tons of uranium ore. Milling operations created low-level radioactive mill tailings. The tailings were conveyed in slurry from the mill to a nearby tailings impoundment. The mill’s tailings impoundment and evaporation ponds covered a 55-acre area, and windblown tailings afected an additional 250 acres northeast of the mill site. DOE began site surface remedial action in 1988. All uranium mill tailings from the on-site piles, debris from demolished mill buildings, and windblown tailings were moved and stabilized in an on-site engineered disposal cell. The primary reason for stabilizing and covering the tailings and other mill-related debris was to reduce the radon exposure risk. DOE completed surface remediation in 1990. Handling waste created during mill operations resulted in contaminated groundwater in the Navajo aquifer. The primary source of contamination is water that drained from the unlined tailings impoundment and process ponds and infltrated into the subsurface. Groundwater contaminants with concentrations that exceed standards in Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 192 (40 CFR 192), “Health and Environmental Protection Standards for Uranium and Thorium Mill Tailings,” are molybdenum, nitrate, selenium, and uranium. High levels of sulfate, total dissolved solids, and chloride are also present in the groundwater. Although these constituents are not regulated in 40 CFR 192, their concentrations in groundwater are high enough to cause concern, and restoration goals were established (in collaboration with cooperating tribal agencies) for comparison to monitoring results. Surface remediation was completed by DOE in 1990 at the former Rare Metals Corporation mill site (photo taken circa 1960) 2 TUBA CITY, ARIZONA, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN 2.2: SITE DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION Location of the Tuba City Disposal Site The Tuba City site is within the Navajo Nation and in close proximity to the Hopi Reservation. The site is approximately 5 miles east of Tuba City and 85 miles northeast of Flagstaf, Arizona. Land near the site is used for grazing; adjacent land was used for dry and irrigated farming, and historically, rural residential purposes. There is no known domestic, industrial, or agricultural groundwater use from the contaminated region of the aquifer within the site. Nearby residences receive water from the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. This water comes from a well in the bedrock aquifer approximately 1.5 miles northwest (hydraulically upgradient) of the site. The nearest surface water is located approximately 4,000 feet south of the site, where seeps are present along clif bands that border Moenkopi Wash. Surface water fow in Moenkopi Wash is seasonal. Water from the wash may be used for stock watering and agricultural diversions by Navajo and Hopi residents. Early site characterization eforts and ongoing annual monitoring have found no contamination from former milling operations in the seeps in this area. 3 TUBA CITY, ARIZONA, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN SECTION 3: COMMUNITY BACKGROUND 3.1: COMMUNITY PROFILE The community of Tuba City is located within the Navajo Nation and is governed by a local Navajo Nation government Chapter House. The Hopi village of Moenkopi is located southeast of Tuba City. According to the 2015 U.S. Census Bureau, Tuba City is the largest tribal community within the Navajo Nation with a population of 9,722 people in 2,360 households. Of these households: ʒ 52.9% include children under the age of 18. ʒ 49.0% are married couples living together. ʒ 26.0% have a single female head of household. ʒ 17.7% are not families. ʒ 15.1% are individuals living together. ʒ 2.3% are individuals living alone who are 65 years or older. ʒ The average household size is 4.0. ʒ The average family size is 4.5. Racial makeup is: ʒ 79% Native American. ʒ 14.5% Hispanic or Latino. ʒ 4% Caucasian. ʒ 1% two or more races. ʒ 0.7% Asian or Pacifc Islander. ʒ 0.5% other races. ʒ 0.3% Black or African American. Age distribution of the population shows: ʒ 42.8% under the age of 18. ʒ 27.5% from 25 to 44. ʒ 15.7% from 45 to 64. ʒ 9.8% from 18 to 24. ʒ 4.3% are 65 or older. ʒ The median age is 23 years. For every 100 females, there are 94 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87 males. 1 1 American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. 4 TUBA CITY, ARIZONA, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN Tuba City's median household income is $47,091, and the median income for a family is $37,813. Males have a median income of $29,280 versus $26,855 for females. The per-capita income for the census-designated area is $14,140. Approximately 23.1% of families and 28.2% of the population are below the poverty line, including 33.0% of those under age 18 and 44.8% of those aged 65 or over.2 Educational institutions in Tuba City include:3 ʒ Tuba City High School. ʒ Greyhills Academy High School. ʒ Tuba City Boarding School. ʒ Tuba City Primary School. ʒ Tuba City Junior High School. ʒ Eagles Nest Intermediate School. ʒ Nizhoni Accelerated Academy. ʒ Diné College. Education attainment (for a total population of 5,385, ages ranging from 25 and over): ʒ 231 are less than grade nine. ʒ 410 are grades nine to 12 (no diploma). ʒ 1,820 are high school graduates (includes equivalency). ʒ 1,122 have some college or associate’s degree. ʒ 836 have an associate’s degree. ʒ 496 have a bachelor’s degree or higher. ʒ 470 have a graduate or professional degree. The community of Moenkopi, Arizona, is located within Coconino County, adjacent to the southeast side of Tuba City, of U.S. Route 160. Founded in 1870, it is divided into the villages of Upper and Lower Moenkopi. According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, Moenkopi has a population of 964 people in 253 households. Of these households: ʒ 24.9% include children under the age of 18. ʒ 37.2% are married couples living together. ʒ 33.2% have a single female head of household. ʒ 17.8% are not families. ʒ 14.2% are individuals living together. ʒ 5.6% are individuals living alone who are 65 years or older. ʒ The average household size is 3.81. ʒ The average family size is 4.24. 2 American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. 3 Navajo Nation Division of Community Development, Navajo Chapter Profles. 5 TUBA CITY, ARIZONA, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN Racial makeup is: ʒ 98.5% Native American. ʒ 1.3% Hispanic or Latino. ʒ 0.8% Caucasian. ʒ 0.5% two or more races. ʒ 0.1% other races. Age distribution of the population shows: ʒ 33.6% under the age of 18. ʒ 25.9% from 45 to 64. ʒ 19.9% from 25 to 44. ʒ 13.1% are 65 or older. ʒ 7.8% from 18 to 24. ʒ The median age is 31.7 years. Moenkopi’s median household income is $49,762, and the median income for a family is $65,083.