The settlement agreement is part of the DOJ’s focus on environmental and health issues in Indian country as well as the the government’s commitment to resolve the grievances of American Indian tribes.
The sites needs to be investigated before taking final cleanup decisions. The work is subject to the approval of the Navajo Nation and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
DOJ Assistant Attorney General for environment and natural resources division John Cruden said: "The site evaluations focus on the mines that pose the most significant hazards and will form a foundation for their final cleanup.
"In partnership with our sister federal agencies, we will also continue our work to address the legacy of uranium mining on Navajo lands, including ongoing discussions with the Navajo Nation."
The Navajo Nation spans over 27,000 square miles within Utah, New Mexico and Arizona in the Four Corners area.
About four million tons of uranium ore were extracted during mining operations within the Navajo Nation from 1944 to 1986.
The federal government, via the Atomic Energy Commission, purchased the uranium until 1966, when commercial sales of uranium started. The last uranium mine on the Navajo Nation was closed in 1986.
