New Mexico

Gathering will mark 45 years since the largest radioactive release in U.S. history hit New Mexico • Source New Mexico

Published

2 years ago

July 12, 2024

Gathering will mark 45 years since the largest radioactive release in U.S. history hit New Mexico • Source New Mexico

It’s been 45 years since the largest radioactive release in U.S. history occurred at Church Rock New Mexico. Members of the Navajo Nation will gather on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of the uranium spill.

On July 16th, 1979, a dam ruptured and released more than a thousand tons of radioactive waste and nearly 95 million gallons of toxic radioactive wastewater spilled into the nearby Rio Puerco and surrounding Navajo Nation lands.

“And the folks that live in the area tell stories about being out herding their sheep and seeing this wave of green liquid come their way, you know, they weren’t warned about it, and many of them waded in it to get their livestock out and ended up with sores on their legs,” said Susan Gordon, coordinator for the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, which she is helping organize the commemoration event.

She said the contaminants flowed downstream through Gallup and across nine Navajo chapters.

Radiation from the spill was detected as far as 80 miles downstream. As a result, communities around the spill have experienced health problems associated with radiation exposure.

Gordon said the mining company, United Nuclear Corp. did little to clean up the radioactive waste.

“They sent a handful of people out with shovels and buckets to try to gather up this green sludge that was all through there. And that’s it. That’s all that was ever done,” Gordon said.

According to Stanford University, the company dug new drinking wells and removed about 1% of the estimated total spill material. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission permitted the company to resume operations five months later. The mine was abandoned in 1982.

The Church Rock spill is the third largest radioactive waste release globally, after the Fukushima disaster and the Chernobyl meltdown.

Gordon said they’re hoping to continue to educate people.

“But also to bring pressure on the National Institute of Health and our congressional delegation to provide more money for cleanup and for health research,” she said.

The ceremony will have an opening prayer and a walk to the spill site. Speakers will include former uranium worker Larry King, and scientists discussing the impact of the radiation.

Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.

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Related Topics:Church Rock Featured National Institute of Health Navajo Nation Uranium spill

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New Mexico

Video: Roswell police respond to fatal crash involving teens

Published

5 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Press Room

Video: Roswell police respond to fatal crash involving teens

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) – A dramatic crash left one teenager dead in southern New Mexico. New video shows the moments Roswell police responded to that crash, calling it the result of reckless driving. It was a chaotic scene involving six people in the collision, and almost all of them are minors. Roswell police said no teenager is facing charges.

On March 10 at 6 p.m., Roswell police responded to a crash involving a Honda Accord and a GMC Yukon SUV. In the Honda were four Roswell teenagers: two girls, ages 15 and 16, and two 17-year-old boys. One of the girls died from the injuries in the crash.

A bystander says she pulled some of the teens out of the Honda, but was unable to get that girl. In the SUV was a 56-year-old woman with her 11-year-old daughter. She told police she tried to avoid the crash. Detectives later interviewed one of the teens, who said the boy driving was going way above the speed limit, and the driver spun out.

Two other teens in the car suffered severe injuries but survived. The passengers in the SUV suffered minor injuries. The 17-year-old driver is Clarence Cheadle Jr. He’s facing six charges, including homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, and causing bodily harm.

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New Mexico

APD: Pedestrian hit and killed in early morning crash

Published

15 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

APD: Pedestrian hit and killed in early morning crash

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Albuquerque police are investigating a fatal crash after a vehicle struck a pedestrian early Saturday morning.

Police said the crash happened near Central Avenue and Maple. The pedestrian died at the scene from their injuries.

Police continue to investigate the crash.

Stay with KOB 4 Eyewitness News and KOB.com for updates.

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New Mexico

NM FAST launches space SBIR/STTR accelerator for New Mexico startups

Published

1 day ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

NM FAST launches space SBIR/STTR accelerator for New Mexico startups

NM FAST (New Mexico Federal and State Technology) is now accepting applications for a free space-sector accelerator cohort designed to help New Mexico-based technology companies compete for federal funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The cohort targets founders and researchers pursuing grants from NASA, Space Force and related federal agencies, with programming set to launch July 21.

The cohort will admit six to 10 New Mexico companies and run for 10 to 12 weeks, meeting in weekly sessions of approximately one and a half to two hours. Programming covers the full arc of federal commercialization strategy, including space-sector SBIR/STTR opportunities and federal funding pathways, proposal development for technical narratives and commercialization components, federal procurement positioning and agency discovery, capital strategy and follow-on funding options, and transition planning from Phase I to Phase II awards. Participants also receive targeted one-on-one advisory support throughout the program. The cohort is offered at no cost to accepted companies.