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SENATE MEMORIAL 11
57
TH LEGISLATURE
- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -
FIRST SESSION
, 2025
INTRODUCED BY
Angel M. Charley
A MEMORIAL
AFFIRMING THE STATE'S COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING AND PRESERVING
MOUNT TAYLOR AS A TRADITIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTY AND OPPOSING
URANIUM MINING PROJECTS THAT THREATEN MOUNT TAYLOR'S CULTURAL
AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY.
WHEREAS, Mount Taylor, known to indigenous people by
several traditional names, stands as a sacred landmark central
to the spiritual, cultural and historical identity of the
region's Indian nations, tribes and pueblos; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, following significant advocacy by the
Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna and Zuni, the Hopi Tribe and the
Navajo Nation, Mount Taylor was formally nominated and
designated as a traditional cultural property on the New Mexico
register of cultural properties; and
WHEREAS, the nomination of Mount Taylor as a traditional
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cultural property recognized its profound cultural
significance, including its role in origin stories, traditional
practices and ceremonies and as a place of prayer and
pilgrimage for indigenous peoples; and
WHEREAS, the supreme court, in a landmark 2014 decision,
affirmed the validity of Mount Taylor's traditional cultural
property designation, reinforcing the importance of preserving
the mountain as a monument for future generations; and
WHEREAS, proposed uranium mining projects pose significant
threats to Mount Taylor and the surrounding environment by
physically degrading the landscape and cultural sites with
destructive mining operations; and
WHEREAS, proposed uranium mining may deplete and
contaminate the San Andres-Glorieta aquifer and related
aquifers and springs, which serve as primary water sources for
the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna and the surrounding
communities, posing significant risks to water security and
public health; and
WHEREAS, uranium mining operations create environmental
hazards through the transport and storage of uranium ore,
increasing the risk of contamination of land, air and water
resources and exacerbating the health threats already faced by
Indian and non-Indian communities alike; and
WHEREAS, the ongoing legacy of uranium mining in New
Mexico has resulted in long-term environmental contamination,
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such as poisoned aquifers and negative health impacts on Indian
nations, tribes and pueblos and local communities, highlighting
the need for stronger ecological protections for Mount Taylor
and all of the state's natural resources; and
WHEREAS, the protection of this sacred mountain is
essential for the continuation of traditional practices and
ceremonies and the preservation of cultural identity of Indian
nations, tribes and pueblos;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE
OF NEW MEXICO that the senate affirm its commitment to
protecting Mount Taylor and oppose any uranium mining projects
that threaten its traditional cultural property designation,
environmental integrity and sacred status; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the senate urge federal and
state agencies, including the United States forest service and
the mining and minerals division of the energy, minerals and
natural resources department, to deny permits or authorizations
for uranium mining projects within the Mount Taylor traditional
cultural property boundaries; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the senate call upon the
United States congress to reform the federal General Mining Act
of 1872 to prioritize the protection of sacred cultural sites
and to require meaningful tribal consultation in decisions that
impact tribal resources; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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transmitted to the United States secretary of the interior, the
United States secretary of agriculture, the New Mexico
congressional delegation, the governor, the commissioner of
public lands, the department of environment and the energy,
minerals and natural resources department.
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