The Cane Valley Navajo Radioactive Structures Site is located within the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, straddling the Arizona and Utah state line. Structures in three other regional areas (Cove, Red Valley, Teec Nos Pos and Tuba City) have also been identified for separate removal actions.
The Site consists of 13 structures and 3 yards situated on 12 residential properties known as “homesites.” Four of the 13 structures are currently occupied. In winter 2007-2008, U.S. EPA and Navajo Nation EPA, assessed 56 homesites including 113 structures. Overall, 27 structures and 12 yards require response actions. These efforts have all been conducted in partial fulfillment of the Agency’s commitment under the multi-agency Health and Environmental Impacts of Uranium Contamination Five-year Plan.
Persons occupying contaminated structures are at risk of exposures to external gamma and alpha ionizing radiation by way of radon, radium-226 and uranium contamination. Exposures to alpha ionizing radiation due to the presence of radium-226 and radon, pose an increased risk of toxic effects including cancer.
