Bismarck, North Dakota - News

People living and working in the North Cave Hills area deserve more from the Forest Service and Kerr-McGee than they are getting.

The uranium mines that were worked in early 1960s left behind an increased risk of cancer for the people who live in that area today. So much so, signs were posted in 2002 that say: "Caution Radiation Area: Radiation levels in this area are elevated due to uranium mining. No more than one day within one year time period should be spent in the area. No camping."

The Forest Service has already ordered Kerr-McGee to clean up the mining sites, which are on federal land. The energy company continues to negotiate with the Forest Service, and the next step, unless Kerr-McGee cooperates, contemplates possible court actions, fines and imprisonment.

Unfortunately, the negotiations appear to be no more than legal cat and mouse. In a similar case involving the company in Oregon, it took 15 years to reach an agreement.

The Forest Service should step up the pressure now -- people facing known and unknown cancer risks regard time as highly valuable, and delaying tactics, if that's what they are, are unacceptable.

Winning the Cold War was important. Part of the successful equation in resolving the Cold War was the nuclear standoff based on mutually assured destruction. The North Cave Hills contribution to the Cold War effort was, in part, 157,000 pounds of uranium oxide.

The people who live around those uranium mines are paying, with their health, some of the price of that Cold War victory.

The Forest Service has an obligation to aggressively protect these families and to have Kerr-McGee clean up the site.

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