Environmental Injustice

1) Extremely dangerous military sites have systematically been placed in close proximity to Indigenous territories. 1,028 atomic and hydrogen bombs have been detonated by the Department of Defense on Western Shoshone territory for example. This makes the Western Shoshone the most bombed nation in the entire world. Social scientists and Indigenous Peoples believe this to be a result of institutional racism and inequality (more information).

2) After more than sixty years of U.S. commercial nuclear power production, the federal government is seeking a national storage facility to store all of the waste generated by over one hundred power plants across the country. Nuclear waste, the deadliest substance known to man, is currently stored on site by nuclear power plants. When a national waste facility is opened, all of the waste will be transported to this one location. The only sites currently under consideration for this national nuclear dump are on Indigenous lands (more information).

3) In addition to detonation of nuclear bombs and targeted nuclear waste on Indigenous Peoples, all other steps of the nuclear chain disproportionately impact Indigenous communities. This includes the location of nuclear power plants on Indigenous lands, as well as uranium mining, milling, processing and enrichment (more information).

4) Mineral and oil extraction on or near Indigenous territories threatens Indigenous communities throughout the United States. Indigenous communities are faced with severe environmental and health impacts from these hazardous activities and the toxic waste they leave behind (more information).

5) There are 1,104 solid waste open dump sites threatening the health and safety of residents located on Indigenous lands (source). Unfavorable legislation and severe underfunding inhibit proper (Indigenous or federal) authorities from adequately dealing with the problem (more information).