THAT'S ALL AHEAD.

>> Ted: WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II IS DEAD.

THE WORLD'S REIGNING MONARCH AND LONGEST REIGNING MONARCH IN BRITISH HISTORY DIED TODAY AT THE AGE OF 96, HER SUMMER RETREAT IN SCOTLAND AND ANNOUNCED SHE DIED PEACEFULLY AND NO CAUSE OF DEATH GIVEN.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE ANNOUNCED HER DOCTORS WERE CONCERNED OVER HER HEALTH.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II REIGNED FOR 70 YEARS THROUGH POLITICAL UHEAVAL AND TRIED TO KEEP THE FAMILY RELEVANT AND IT WAS FUELED BY VARIOUS CONTROVERSIES THAT PUT THE ROYAL FAMILY IN U.K.

GOSSIP COLUMNS AND HER RESERVED MANNER CHANGED THOUGH CHANGED, AND REACTION FROM THE WINDSOR CASTLE.

>> SHE WAS EVERYTHING I HAD GROWN UP WITH AND ICONIC.

>> I WAS BORN IN THE YEARS OF CARNATION.

SO SHE'S BEEN THE ONLY QUEEN I'VE KNOWN AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S HAPPENED SO QUICKLY.

>> I MEAN, SHE WAS 96 YEARS OLD, YOU MUST HAVE SEEN IT COMING.

>> I KNOW SHE WAS AND WE KNOW SHE WAS GETTING FRAIL.

BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHE'S GONE.

>> SHE LOOKED GREAT ON TUESDAY.

>> AMAZING ON TUESDAY.

>> SO THIS >> WE JUST HAPPENED TO BE HERETODAY SHOPPING.

>> BUT SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN OUR QUEEN.

>> AND SO SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, IT WAS QUEEN ELIZABETH II.

>> WE ALL LOVE THE QUEEN AND LIVED IN WINDSOR A LONG TIME AND WANTED TO PAY RESPECTS.

>> WHAT DOES THE QUEEN MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY.

>> ALL MY LIFE SHE'S BEEN HERE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN THE SAME POSITION AND IT WILL BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT BEING WITHOUT HER.

WE ALL LOVED HER VERY MUCH.

>> Ted: QUEEN ELIZABETH'S DEATH ELEVATED HER ELDEST SON CHARLES REIGNING AS KING CHARLES III AND MUCH MORE ON QUEEN ELIZABETH II LATER ON PBS NEWS HOUR.

>>> ARIZONA HORIZON IS THE HOST OF THE STATE'S CLEAN ELECTION SPONSORED DEBATE EXPECT AND THE COMMISSION DOES SO BY RULES AND LAWS IT MUST FOLLOW IN SETTING UP THESE DEBATES.

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING FOR THE COMMISSION IN DEALING WITH CANDIDATES AND JOINING US NOW IS THE VOTER DIRECTOR FOR THE COMMISSION AND GOOD TO SEE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

BIG MEETING ON THE GOVERNOR'S DEBATE AND WHAT HAPPENED?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THE CLEAN ELECTION'S COMMISSION, THERE WAS A PUBLIC MEETING TO SET THE PROPOSAL TO THE COMMISSION FROM SECRETARY OF STATE, KATIE HOBBS.

OUR DEBATE IS FOR OCTOBER 12th AND WE HAVE A TRADITIONAL DEBATE WHICH HAS THE CANDIDATES COME TOGETHER ON THE SAME STAGE AND HAVE QUESTIONS PRESENTED TO THEM.

THE PROPOSAL THAT THE COMMISSION RECEIVED SUGGESTED THAT WE ACTUALLY CHANGED THAT INTO MORE OF A TOWNHALL STYLE, WHERE THE CANDIDATES ARE ON THE STAGE AT SEPARATE TIMES AND SUBMIT TWO, 30 MANUFACTURE30-MINUTE Q & A SECTIONS.

>> YOU HEARD PUBLIC MEETINGS, TRUE?

>> THERE WAS A VIRTUAL MEETING THIS MORNING AND GREAT TO SEE SO MANY VOTERS INTERESTED IN THE DEBATE PROCESS AND FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT WE RECEIVED, A LOT VOTERS INDICATED THEIR PREFERENCE WAS WAS A DEWAIT DEBATE.

THEY TOOK A VOTE AND HELD FROM THE HOBB'S CAMPAIGN AND THEY WILL PROCEED.

>> IT WAS >> Ted: WHAT WAS THE REASONING THERE?

>> WE HAD A COMMISSIONER WHO VOTED NO AND HIS REASONINGS WERE HE WAS HOPING WITH A FORMAT WITH A RESPECTFUL EXCHANGE AND A WAY ACCESSIBLE TO VOTERS AND NOT A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, AND EXPRESSED A LOT OF CONCERN MAKING SURE VOTERS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING OR AWARE THAT ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE, THAT THEY COULD FOLLOW ALONG IN A FORMAT.

>> Ted: THE REASONING FOR NOT GOING ALONG?

>> IT IS A DEBATE AND THE CLEAN ELECTION'S COMMISSION, THE PROCESS IS SET THROUGH THE RULES AND DOES SAY TO HAVE A DEBATE AND SO THE COMMISSIONERS FELT THAT IS WHAT A DEBATE IS, THE CANDIDATES SHARING THE SAME STAGE AND HAVING INTERSECTION AND THE QUESTIONS PRESENTED TO THEM SO THE VOTERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATE, BUT CAN CHALLENGE ONE ANOTHER.

>> Ted: IN MAKING THE DECISION, STAFF HAS BEEN TOLD TO GO BACK FOR SEVEN DAYS AND WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

THE COMMISSION DIDN'T HAVE WE WOULD HAVE A DEBATE FORMAT BUT WORKING TO A FORMAT THEY COULD AGREE TO WHERE BOTH CANDIDATES WOULD PARTICIPATE, BUT STILL FACILITATE THAT DEBATE PROCESS WITH BOTH CANDIDATES SHARING THE STAGE.

>> Ted: WHAT IF SOMETHING CAN'T BE WORKED OUT?

>> SO WE DID RECEIVE CONFIRMATION FROM MISS LAKE SHE WILL PARTICIPATE IN AN EVENT WITH US EVEN IF SECRETARY HOBB DECLINES AND THERE IS ONE CANDIDATE PARTICIPATING, IT'S A 30-MINUTE SESSION.

>> Ted: THAT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE AND CANDIDATES REFUSE TO DEBATE.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> Ted: THE ARIZONA CLEAN ELECTION'S COMMISSION, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE, THIS IS HIGH PROFILE AND A LOT OF PUBLICITY AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN THE AWARE, WHAT IS THE ARIZONA CLEAN ELECTION'S COMMISSION?

>> THE STATE'S NON-PARTISAN VOTER COMMISSION AND WE WERE THROUGH A CITIZEN'S INITIATIVE WHERE THEY PASSED THE CLEAN ELECTION'S ACT AND IT CALLS FOR A VOTERS EDUCATION AND WE SPONSOR FOR EVERY CANDIDATE IN A CONTESTED ELECTION FOR STATE-WIDE AND ELECTED OFFICE.

WE PRODUCE THOSE FOR VOTERS AND THEY TRULY HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR VOTERS TO LOOK TO TO GET INFORMATION.

>> Ted: THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH FROM THE BEGINNING?

OVER 20 YEARS WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS.

>> Ted: I'VE BEEN DOING IT JUST ABOUT 20 YEARS AND WE'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM UNTIL NOW.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> AS YOU SAID, FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS AND OUR FORMAT HAS BEEN CLEAR AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMISSION WE PROVIDE A SETTING WHERE THE CANDIDATES CAN COME IN AND HAVE A MINDINGFUL DIALOGUE SO THE VOTERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE AND THIS IS A GREAT TOOL FOR VOTERS.

AS I'VE SAID, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS 20 YEARS.

WHAT HAS CHANGED, WE RECEIVED THIS PROPOSAL, THE COMMISSION EQUIPMENTED WE WILL CONTINUE AS IS.

IT'S BEEN PROVEN IT WORKS AND VOTERS AND CANDIDATES HAVE COME TO RELY ON THIS PROCESS.

>> Ted: DOES IT CHANGE IN ANY WAY THE WAY CLEAN ELECTIONS, THE COMMISSION DOES ITS BUSINESS, WHAT IT'S CHARGED WITH DOING, THE RULES, ET CETERA?

IS THE LANDSCAPE CHANGING, IN OTHER WORDS?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK IF ANYTHING, THIS TAUGHT US IT WORKS.

THE REASON THE COMMISSION MET, IT RECEIVED A PROPOSAL AND IT'S A PUBLIC BODY AND WE MAKE DECISIONS IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC WITH PUBLIC FEEDBACK.

SO I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR PROCESS WILL CHANGE.

IF ANYTHING, I THINK IT'S BEEN PROVEN IT WORKS FOR VOTERS.

>> Ted: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BIGGEST MISPERCEPTION OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS HAS BEEN SO FAR?

IT'S ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.

EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IT.

>> WHAT WE SEE FROM VOTERS, THERE'S A CONCERN THAT A CANDIDATE JUST DOESN'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND LOOKING FOR A WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE TRADITIONAL DEBATE FORMAT, BUT WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM A MAJORITY OF VOTERS, THEY WANT THAT FORMAT AND BOTH CANDIDATES TOGETHER AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HERE IN ONEHEAR INONE SETTING.

>> Ted: STAFF GETS TO WORK ON ALL OF THIS AND THEN, BOOM, IT'S OVER.

>> RIGHT.

>> Ted: BUSY TIMES FOR YOU AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.

AND IMPROVE NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A NEW BOOK AT HOW ARIZONA LEAD THE WAY IN TURNING BORDER POLITICS INTO PARTISAN CONFLICTS.

>> A NEW BOOK LOOKS AT HOW ARIZONA FORESHADOWED NATIONAL POLITICS IN THE WAY THE STATE'S NATIONAL BEE DATE FLAMED A POLICY ISSUE IN TERMS OF SECURITY.

THE BOOK IS TITLED, SECURING BORDER, SECURING THE BORDER POLITICS "AND WRITTEN BY OUR NEXT GUEST AND MICHAEL SLAVEN.

IT'S QUITE THE SCHOLARLY EFFORT AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN HERE, YOU HAVE THIS COVERED AND FORESHADOWING NATIONAL POLITICS.

EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT HOW WHAT WE WENT THROUGH IS WHAT THE COUNTRY WENT THROUGH YEARS LATER.

>> WELL, USUALLY, PARTIES HAVEN'T LIKED IMMIGRATION BECAUSE IT MIGHT SUPPORT THE PARTY TO NOT PRIORITIZE THAT ISSUE AND FOR INSTANCE, SOME REPUBLICANS MIGHT BE BUSINESS ORIENTED AND NOT AS, YOU KNOW, RESTRICTIVE ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

SOME DEMOCRATIC VOTERS IN THE PAST MAY HAVE HAD ANTI-IMMIGRATION FEELINGS.

SO HISTORICALLY, IT WASN'T THE CASE THE PARTIES CAMPAIGNED ON THIS AND WE DIDN'T SEE THAT AT A NATIONAL LEVEL UNTIL DONALD TRUMP MADE IN THE HUGE ISSUE IN 2016.

OF COURSE, IN ARIZONA, THIS BECAME A HUGE PARTISAN ISSUE YEAR BEFORE THAT.

>> Ted: CORRECT ME, THE FOCUS I GOT OUT OF IT WAS SECURITY, THE SECURITY THREAT WAS KIND OF MOVED FRONT AND CENTER IN THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE, CORRECT?

>> YES.

SO WHAT HAPPENED IN ARIZONA, REALLY, WAS THAT WHEN POLITICIANS STARTED TO GET ASSAILED THEY WEREN'T DOING ENOUGH ABOUT A SECURITY PROBLEM AND VOTERS SEEING THE NEWS FROM THE BORDER, IMAGES OF PEOPLE HOPPING OVER FENCES, CONSTANT NEWS ABOUT UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANTS, THEY BECAME THEY WERE PAINTED ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ISSUE.

FOR PEOPLE TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO ON THE BORDER, THEY HAD TO DO A REAL SECURITY ELEMENT TO THAT.

WHAT WE SAW IS PEOPLE FROM ALL PARTIES IN ARIZONA COMPETING OVER WHO WAS SECURING THE BORDER AND DOING IT IN A RIGHT WAY.

WE HAD A PERIOD IN ARIZONA FROM 2004 AND UP TO SB1070 IN 2010, WHERE THIS DOMINATED STATE POLITICS.

IT WAS HUGE THAT ALL OF THE POLITICIANS WERE THINKING ABOUT AND ALL OF THE GREAT POLITICAL JOURNALISMS CHRONICLED THE WHOLE THING.

I TRIED TO TELL THE WHOLE STORY OF THAT.

>> Ted: YOU DID, INDEED.

IT REMINDS ME OF PEOPLE SAYING THEY DON'T WANT POLITICAL NEGATIVE ADVERTISING AND YET, POLITICAL NEGATIVE ADVERTISING WORKS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE FRAMING THIS DEBATE ON IMMIGRATION IN TERMS OF SECURITY CONCERNS WORKED.

>> RIGHT.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IMMIGRATION IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE WITH ECONOMIC ESPECIALLY IN ARIZONA AND HUMANITARIAN DIMENSIONS WITH PEOPLE SEEKINGASYLUM OR PROTECTION.

SO YOU START HEARING SIMPLISTIC SOUNDBITES BECAUSE THEY CUT THROUGH AND THEY CUT THROUGH TO A LOT OF VOTERS AND POLITICIANS THINK THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR DESPITE THAT COMPLEXITY.

>> Ted: I GET THE COMPLEXION, RIGHT WING PUSHES EXTREME AGENDA AND LUKE WARM, CENTER RIGHT FIGURES OUT WHAT TO DO AND THE NERVOUS CENTER LEFT, THEY'RE CONCERN HEAD WON'T BE IN THE CENTER ANYMORE.

IT HIT ALL ASPECTS OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

>> IF YOU GO BACK AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE 2000 DECADE, STARTED OUT AS A FACTIONAL THING AMONG REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURES PUSHING IT.

THE WHAT THEY GOT IT TO BECOME AN OBSESSION AMONG THE ENTIRE POLITICAL FIELD WAS REALLY THROUGH TRYING TO DO THIS SECURITY STUFF FRONT AND CENTER.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF REPUBLICANS AFTER THAT WHO WERE PUT UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE BY PEOPLE LIKE RUSSELL PIERCE, FOR INSTANCE.

OVER THE YEAR, THIS WORKED.

THIS WORKED AT SHIFTING THEIR VIEWS ON THE ISSUE AND GOT DEMOCRATS, INVOLVED, AS WELL, SAYING WE HAVE A PLAN TO SECURE THE BORDER, TOO, AND WE CAN SEE ECHOS TODAY.

>> Ted: ALL ON DISPLAY IN ARIZONA AND THE COUNTRY LATCHED ON.

SB1070, I MEAN, THIS, YOU HAVE THE DIAGRAM HERE, BUT IT'S STILL IS A FACTOR IN ARIZONA POLITICS.

>> YEAH, DEFINITELY IS A MAJOR PUBLIC ISSUE AND WE'VE SEE IT ON THE AIRWAVES IN THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION AND NOT QUITE AS THE DOMINATING ISSUE AND ONE THAT'S TALKED ABOUT.

BUT THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES.

THE APPEAL OF THIS HARD-LINED IMMIGRATION STUFF IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC AND SOME TIRED OUT ABOUT THAT.

IT ACTIVATED MOBILIZATION AND ACTIVIST FROM HISPANIC VOTERS, AS WELL, WHO BECAME PROMINENT IN THESE DISCUSSIONS ESPECIALLY AFTER 1070.

>> Ted: IS THERE A BARGAIN PUSHING THOSE SB1070 LAWS?

>> IN 2010, IF PEOPLE REMEMBER BACK TO THAT ELECTION, REPUBLICANS DID WELL NATIONAL LEGISLATURE AND REALLY WELL IN ARIZONA.

SO IT LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD FIGURED OUT SOMETHING AT THAT POINT, BUT NOT SOON AFTER THAT, IT STARTED TO APPEAR LESS SO AND MAYBE, ACTUALLY, THE REPUBLICANS WERE STARTING TO LOSE THEIR GRIP ON ARIZONA BECAUSE OF HOW THINGS HAD SHIFTED AROUND IN THE APPEAL OF THESE POLITICS.

AND WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THAT TODAY.

>> Ted: INDEED.

THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE BOOK AND YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS AND WHAT GOT YOU TO WRITING THIS?

WAS THERE A SPARK?

I USED TO WORK IN ARIZONA POLITICS AND HOW DO THESE IDEAS ON THE FRINGES OF POLITICS GET TO THE MIDDLE?

WHY IS IT THAT SUCH A COMPLICATED ISSUE LIKE THIS IS TREATED AS SECURITY?

AS I'VE BEEN IN LIFE, WORKING IN EUROPE, THE THINGS THAT CAME UP IN ARIZONA ARE SO RELEVANT AND THIS HAS HAPPENED ALL OVER THE WORLD AND I KEPT THAT SPARK IN MY MIND AND HOPEFULLY, THE BOOK EXPLAINS THE RELEVANCE OF WHAT HAPPENED AND NOT JUST A CORNER OF THE EARTH, BUT IT'S RELEVANT TO EVERYBODY.

>> Ted: WHAT ARE THE LESSONS LEARNED BY THE EXPERIENCE IN ARIZONA AND, AGAIN, FRAMING THE PUBLIC PROBLEM IN SECURITY TERMS?

IT WORKS AND NOT ALWAYS AND NOT NECESSARILY A LASTING EFFECT.

>> I THINK THE LESSON, REALLY, POLITICIANS MAKE MAKER THEIR DECISIONS.

THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO TURN AWAY FROM THIS KIND OF DIRECTION THAT EVENTUALLY REALLY EMBARRASSED THE STATE.

THERE WERE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF TURN AWAY FROM THAT EARLIER AND THEY JUST WEREN'T TAKEN.

AND SO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PUBLIC OFFICIALS THINK REALLY HARD ABOUT WHY THEY'RE THERE, RIGHT.

I HEARD A LOT IN MY INTERVIEWS, WELL, WE DID THIS OR THAT ON IMMIGRATION BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE AT THE ABLE TO SEE THAT ISSUE OR THAT ISSUE.

AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU HAVE TO THINK, WELL, WHAT AM I BEING ASKED TO DO, RIGHT, AND DO I AGREE AND HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS?

I CAN'T FAULT ANYBODY WHO I SPOKE TO AND THEY COULDN'T SEE THE FUTURE, OF COURSE, BUT I THINK THERE ARE LESSONS TO LOOK AT AS WE LOOK BACK.

>> Ted: IT WAS A WONDERFULLY RESEARCHED BOOK AND CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS, TED.

♪♪ (SINGING).

>> TONIGHT, A LOOK BACK ON THE HISTORIC REIGN OF BRITAIN'S LONG STEARYLING MONARCH, QUEEN ELIZABETH II.

THAT'S AFTER LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> Ted: RESIDENTS INCLUDING MANY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THE FOUR CORNER'S REGION HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO RADIATION FROM URANIUM MINING THAT DATES BACK TO THE COLD WAR YEARS.

HALF OF 50 URANIUMS MINES ARE NOT SEALED.

HERE TO DISCUSS THIS IS MARK.

AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING WHAT YOU FOUND.

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TALKING ABOUT THIS AND WE KNEW ABOUT POLLUTION DECADES AND DECADES AGO AND THIS MILL STOPPED OPERATING IN 1990, IT'S NOT FULLY CAPPED AND UNLINED AND LEAKING RADON INTO THE AIR AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE.

>> Ted: IMPACT ON RESIDENTS IN THE AREA, CANCER CLUSTERS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>> YEAH, THE AMOUNT OF CANCER IN THIS AREA WAS SO BAD THAT RESIDENTS WHO LIVED ON THE STREET FROM THIS PILE OF WASTE CREATED WHAT THEY CALLED A DEATH MAP WHERE THEY ANTIDOTEALLY SAID THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING.

>> Ted: YOU SAID ONE FAMILY LIVES LESS THAN HALF A MILE FROM TWO TONS OF AIR URANIUM WASTE.

>> THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY THIS.

>> Ted: TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF URANIUM MINING, ESPECIALLY IN THE FOUR CORNER'S REGION.

>> IT BOOMED AFTER WORLD WAR II AND WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING TO BUILD UP AN ARSENAL.

THEY SUBSIDIZED THIS AFTER 1991.

AFTER THE THREE MILE ACCIDENT AND THE URANIUM MARKET EXPANDED, EVERYTHING TANKED IN THE '80S.

WE HAD 30 YEARS OF MASSIVE MINING IN THE FOUR CORNERS AND NOW FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS, WE'RE FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THAT LEGACY.

>> Ted: THAT LEGACY INCLUDING A MINING PROCESS THAT, I IMAGINE, USING CHEMICALS IN THE INITIAL PROCESS.

THE WASTE, DOES IT PILE UP AND IS IT BURIED HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> SO WHAT WE FOCUSED ON IS TAILINGS, WHICH IS THE SANDY-LIKE MATERIAL LEFT OVER AFTER YOU KIND OF CRUSH AND ROAST AND LEECH THE URANIUM FROM THE ORE AND SO THAT PILES IN THE SEVERAL-MILLION TON KIND OF HILLS OF WASTE NEXT TO THE FORMER MILL SITES.

THAT'S WHAT WE FOCUSED ON.

MORE THAN A QUARTER BILL TONS OF THIS, LARGELY IN THE SOUTHWEST AND THE WEST.

>> Ted: AND IT'S LEAKING?

>> A LOT OF IT IS LEAKING AND HALF OF THE SITES DON'T HAVE A LINER AND THIS WASTE CONTAINING URANIUM AND EVERYTHING ELSE JUST IS SITTING ON THE EARTH.

>> Ted: IMPACT ON THE NAVAJO NATION IN PARTICULAR, AND WHAT DID YOU FIND?

>> WELL, YOU'VE NOT AT LEAST 500 AND MAYBE SEVERAL THOUSAND URANIUM MINES ON THE NAVAJO NATION ALONE AND OTHER TRIBAL LANDS IN THE WEST AND A LOT OF THE MILLS AND MINE WITHIN SEVERAL MILES AND SEVERAL CAN HIT THE UNDER-LAND TRIBAL LANDS OR THE AIR ABOVE TRIBAL LANDS AND THE POPULATIONS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED.

>> Ted: WHO SHOULD BE CLEANING THIS STUFF UP?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING, AS WELL.

IT'S SPLIT.

ON ONE HAND, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE SOUL PURCHASER UNTIL 1971 AND ON THE OTHER HAND, THE COMPANIES THAT MADE A TON OF MONEY MINING, MILLING, PROCESSING, SELLING URANIUM AND DOWNSTREAM PRODUCTS FOR YEARS.

THE COST OF THE CLEAN-UP IS SHARED BETWEEN THE COMPANIES AND THE GOVERNMENT AND THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS, ONCE THIS IS ALL DONE, WE HAND THE SITE BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND MONITOR AND MAINTAIN IT FOREVER.

>> Ted: AND THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT, ARE THEY?

>> ALONG THE WAY, COMPANIES WILL SAY, HEY, WE'VE CLEANED UP AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND DID EVERYTHING WE CAN AND PLEASE CHANGE THE RULES FOR US.

TELL US THIS IS ENOUGH BECAUSE WE CAN'T OR DON'T WANT TO DO ANYMORE.

WHAT WE'RE FINDING, THE NEW REGULATORY COMMISSION IS ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN IN A NUMBER OF INSTANCES.

>> Ted: HAS IT HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS?

>> THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE CLEAN-UP STARTED, WHEN THE INDUSTRY KIND OF LARGELY WENT AWAY IN THE 80'S.

THE REASON WE LOOK AT THIS SPECIFIC SITE IN NEW MEXICO, WE HAVE A TOWN INSTEAD OF CLEANING UP THE SITE, TO GET IT AWAY FROM PEOPLE, THE COMPANY IS CARRYING DOWN THE TOWN AND ASKING FOR EXEMPTIONS TO MOVE PEOPLE AWAY AND WE'RE LOSING AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THIS ISN'T WORKING.

>> Ted: PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO MOVE CONSIDER THE CONSIDERING THE CONSEQUENCES, BUT IT'S STILL THEIR HOME.

>> THEY GAVE IT UP WHEN THE AIR URANIUM BOOM HAPPENED.

THIS LASTED 30 YEARS.

>> Ted: I THINK IN YOUR SEGMENT, THE NONDISPAIRAGEMENT AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED.

>> AND NON-LIABILITY AND IF YOU GET SICK AND TRY TO LINK IT TO THE WASTE, SORRY.

>> Ted: WHAT CAN BE DONE?

>> WELL, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S FOR CLEAN-UP THAT CAN BE DONE OR FIGURE OUT, IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE TO DO WITH THESE SITES?

PART OF THE PROBLEM, WE'RE TRYING TO REGULATE AN INDUSTRY AND CREATED THIS KIND OF THING, THIS CREATURE, WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT NOW AFTER THE REGULATIONS KIND OF ARE TRAILING IT AND LOOKING BACK WARDS.

BACKWARDS.

SOME SHOULD CONTINUE AND SOME OF THE OTHER SITES, WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE.

>> Ted: ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT, DID ANY IMAGE STICK WITH YOU MORE THAN OTHERS?

>> THIS IS A STORY ABOUT PEOPLE.

PEOPLE GIVE THEIR HEALTH AND LIVELIHOOD BECAUSE AMERICA CAME AND SAID, WE NEED THIS FOR OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE AND NOW, I THINK IT'S TIME TO DO RIGHT BY THEM.

>> Ted: INDEED.

THIS WAS A GREAT BE WORK AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Ted: YOU BET.

THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING!

COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, HOW THE EMERGE BE SPORT OF GIRL'S FLAG FOOTBALL IS GROWS ACROSS THE STATE.

THAT'S COMING UP ON CRONKITE NEWS.