SANTA FE, N.M. – While the battle over radiation exposure compensation continues in Washington, some legislators believe it’s time the state puts its budget surplus to good use.

“When it comes to our abandoned uranium mines in New Mexico. The talking stops today and the action begins tomorrow,” said state Rep. Joseph Hernandez.  

Democratic lawmakers announced plans to invest $50 million towards uranium mine cleanup efforts in New Mexico. It’s an issue that is far bigger than you might expect.

“We have 1,000 abandoned uranium mine sites in the state of New Mexico. We also have another 1,000 abandoned contaminated sites that are not uranium sites, everything from old gas tanks to dry cleaners,” said state Sen. Jeff Steinborn. 

“We know that after mining ceased, that many of these sites were left neglected, that the risks and contaminations to groundwater, to wildlife, to entire communities, making entire swaths of land no longer economically viable and in fact, dangerous for the health of the communities that call those areas home,” said state Rep. Nathan Small. 

While state lawmakers know this is the federal government’s mess to clean up, they also know New Mexicans and Native American communities are suffering the consequences, and $50 million will at least get the process started.

Environment department leaders estimate cleaning up all the abandoned mines and contaminated sites will take upwards of $600 million, so there’s plenty of room for the feds to pitch in.

One lawmaker says it’s well past time to lay down the law.

“We need the federal government to take action, to take ownership of defense era nuclear contaminated sites in New Mexico. Today, I urge the attorney general of the State of New Mexico to take legal action against the federal government for leaving us with this contamination,” said Steinborn.