Judy Pasternak

There's been a lot of talk since the 2010 election about intrusive government regulations hurting the economy and being at least partly responsible for rising unemployment in our Country. Without making it the point of the book, the author tells a story of why the opposite is also true. Unfortunately, as part of the Cold War, Uranium mining became a national priority in the 1950's, and one of the largest sources of domestic uranium was found on Navajo lands in the vicinity of the Southwest United States. Yellow Dirt describes the quest for uranium on the Navajo lands, the limited knowledge of the hazards of uranium, and the price paid by the workers in the mines. Additionally, Pasternak describes the longer lasting affects among the local residents due to the failure of the mining companies to clean up mine tailings, and from the poisoning of local drinking water supplies. Cleanup and compensation to those affected was a struggle, fighting through the obstacles of corporate buyouts, failed regulations, and a complicated legal system. This often overlooked but quite compelling story is well worth reading.… (mer)