REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

I AM REALLY EXCITED TODAY THAT OUR GUEST IS TINA CORDOVA WHO IS WITH THE TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS CONSORTIUM.

WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS FOR MANY YEARS, I THINK OUR LAST ONE WAS IN 2020, TINA, BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>TINA: WELL ABSOLUTELY, LORENE.

IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU AND I AM SO GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN TODAY.

>>LORENE: I KNOW, ME TOO AND I AM ALSO CELEBRATING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES FOR A LONG TIME FIGHTING A VERY LONG AND DIFFICULT BATTLE.

AND I THINK PERHAPS THE FILM OPPENHEIMER HAS MADE PEOPLE PAY A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE OR MAYBE IT IS SOMETHING WHOSE TIME HAS COME.

BUT WHATEVER IT IS, I AM REALLY HAPPY THAT WE CAN TAKE THE TIME TODAY TO LOOK AT, TO EDUCATE THE PEOPLE, ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU AND TO THE PEOPLE DOWNWIND OF THE ATOMIC BOMB TESTS.

THEY SAY THAT THEY ATOMIC BOMB'S FIRST VICTIMS WERE IN NEW MEXICO, BUT NOBODY PAID ATTENTION TO IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

SO PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW LONG THE TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS CONSORTIUM HAS BEEN IN EFFECT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHAT IS GOING ON NOW IF YOU WOULD.

>>TINA: SURE.

WELL, WE ORGANIZED IN 2005, EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO, I COFOUNDED THE ORGANIZATION TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE NEGATIVE HEALTH EFFECTS SUFFERED BY THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO AS A RESULT OF BEING OVER EXPOSED TO RADIATION FROM THE TRINITY TESTS.

SO, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS, FOR THIRTEEN YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING IN CONGRESS TO BE INCLUDED IN WHAT IS CALLED THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT AND I KNOW WE WILL GET TO THAT AT SOME POINT TODAY, BUT, YOU KNOW MY OWN FAMILY HISTORY IS THAT I AM THE FOURTH GENERATION TO HAVE CANCER SINCE 1945 IN MY FAMILY.

AND SINCE YOU AND I TALKED LORENE, ACTUALLY JUST THIS PAST NOVEMBER, I HAVE A 23-YEAR-OLD NIECE WHO IS IN COLLEGE STUDYING ART, SHE WANTS TO SOMEDAY WORK AT PIXAR AND SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THYROID CANCER, SO NOW THERE IS FIVE GENERATIONS IN MY FAMILY.

AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY, I WISH THAT I COULD SAY THAT MY FAMILY IS UNIQUE BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE.

WE HAVE DOCUMENTED SO MANY FAMILIES IN NEW MEXICO THAT ARE NOW DISPLAYING FOUR AND FIVE GENERATIONS OF CANCER.

I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE THIS MORNING WHO TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A NINE MONTH OLD GRANDSON THAT THEY ARE TAKING TO M.D.

ANDERSON IN HOUSTON AND HE HAS A PRECANCEROUS BLOOD DISORDER AND HE IS GOING THROUGH CHEMO AND HE IS NINE MONTHS OLD AND IT IS HORRIFYING AND THE SAME FRIEND OF MINE SAID THAT MY SISTER HAS JUST BEEN GIVEN MONTHS TO LIVE AND MY EX-WIFE HAS STAGE 4 TERMINAL CANCER.

I MEAN IT IS ON AND ON AND I WISH THAT THIS WERE NOT THE LEGACY BUT, LORENE, AS YOU WELL KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT IT, THIS IS THE LEGACY THAT WE HAVE BEEN LEFT TO DEAL WITH AFTER THE MANHATTAN PROJECT AND THE TRINITY TEST.

>>LORENE: WELL, I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU ON AND TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND WHAT HASN'T BEEN DONE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

SO IN THE 90S, THERE WAS THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT, RIGHT, BUT IT DIDN'T INCLUDE NEW MEXICO, IT WAS NEVADA, UTAH, AND ARIZONA.

WHERE WAS THE TRINITY BOMB TESTED, IN NEW MEXICO.

AND THEN TELL ME ABOUT OUR OWN SENATOR BEN RAY LUJAN AND TWO OTHER SENATORS, I THINK JOSH HAWLEY AND REPRESENTATIVE CRAPO FROM MONTANA.

BUT TELL US WHAT THEY HAVE JUST DONE IN THE SENATE TO GET THINGS MOVING AGAIN.

>>TINA: YOU BET.

WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT WE WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE EXPOSED TO RADIATION ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD AS A RESULT OF AN ATOMIC BOMB.

AND WE WERE CONSPICUOUSLY LEFT OUT OF THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT, OR RECA, AND WE'LL NEVER KNOW WHY, LORENE.

I MEAN I ALWAYS SAY IT'S THE 2.5-BILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION BECAUSE THEY PAID THAT MUCH IN RESTITUTION TO OTHER DOWNWINDERS AND SOME URANIUM WORKERS.

BUT THEY HAVE NEVER EXTENDED EVEN A DIME TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO, AND WE HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH.

THE WONDERFUL THING IS THAT JUST LAST WEEK, I FEEL THAT IT WAS ALMOST A PERFECT ALIGNMENT OF THE STARS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, BUT JUST LAST WEEK THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF SENATOR LUJAN, SENATOR CRAPO FROM IDAHO AND THEN SENATOR HAWLEY FROM MISSOURI, THEY WERE ABLE TO PASS OUR BILL THROUGH THE SENATE AS AN ATTACHMENT TO THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT AND SO NOW WE HAVE TO HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE MOTIVED TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BE PART OF A WINNING TEAM.

I HAVE BEEN SAYING LATELY, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT THEY WILL BE PART OF A WINNING TEAM, THIS IS A WINNING PROSPECT, THIS IS A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.

IT IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE WHATSOEVER, I ALWAYS SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, RADIATION EXPOSURE AMONGST PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AMERICAN WEST HAS AFFECTED THE YOUNG, THE OLD, THE RICH THE POOR, THE MALE THE FEMALE, THE BLACK, THE WHITE, AND THE DEMOCRAT AND THE REPUBLICAN ALIKE.

AND SO THIS IS A WINNING PROPOSITION, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND YOU KNOW MY MESSAGING NOW IS GOING TO BE GET ON BOARD TO DO THE RIGHT THING OR BE KNOWN AS THE PERSON THAT BLOCKED JUSTICE TO THE PEOPLE IN THE AMERICAN WEST AND NEW MEXICO AS PART OF THAT.

AND SO WE ARE FIGHTING VERY HARD AND GRATEFUL TO SENATOR LUJAN AND ALSO GRATEFUL TO REPRESENTATIVE LEGER FERNANDEZ, SHE HAS BEEN A TRUE CHAMPION FOR US IN THE HOUSE.

SHE HAS HER WORK CUT OUT THOUGH, SHE IS PART OF THE MINORITY NOW SO WE WILL JUST HAVE TO KEEP THIS OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC REALM.

>>LORENE: FIRST OF ALL, SHE IS A WONDERFUL REPRESENTATIVE AND A GREAT FIGHTER.

AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT I WENT TO ABOUT THE DOWNWINDERS SHE SPOKE UP AND SAID THAT SHE CONSIDERED HERSELF TO BE A DOWNWINDER, TOO.

>>TINA: YEAH, AND THE MAIN THING FOR ME WHEN I SPOKE TO HER THE VERY FIRST TIME, SHE SAID TO ME THAT THERE WERE FIVE MEMBERS OF HER FAMILY WHO HAD CANCER AND SHE, I THINK, EVEN SAID SHE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT SURVIVED.

IT IS UNBELIEVABLE, LORENE, THIS IS YOU KNOW THESE AREN'T ISOLATED INCIDENCES, WE HAVE THIS TREMENDOUS HISTORY OF PEOPLE BEING EXPOSED TO RADIATION, BEING SICK AND IT HAS HAD A NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON OUR STATE, BESIDES THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIED FOR GENERATIONS.

I MEAN IT HAS HAD A NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT WE ARE NEVER FULLY GOING TO UNDERSTAND OR KNOW.

AND THIS PASSING THE RECA BILL WILL ACTUALLY, THERE WILL BE 180-DEGREE CHANGE FROM THAT BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, IF PEOPLE QUALIFY, THEY WILL GET A ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF PARTIAL RESTITUTION OF $150,000.

BUT THE BIGGEST OF IT IS THAT THEY WILL ALSO GET HEALTHCARE COVERAGE THAT IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD AND THAT CREATES AN ECONOMY ALL ITS OWN.

>>LORENE: AND ALSO, WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS RECENT BILL, IS THAT IT INCLUDES A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH URANIUM.

FIRST OF ALL, NEW MEXICO HAS A LONG HISTORY WITH RADIATION AND URANIUM BECAUSE THE SOURCE OF A LOT OF URANIUM FOR ALL OF THE ATOMIC WEAPONS PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN WESTERN NEW MEXICO AND THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO MINED IT, WHO TRANSPORTED IT, WHO NEVER KNEW, THEY HAD NO SAFETY PROTECTION, HAZMAT GARMENTS, THEY WERE NOT TOLD THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS AND SO THEY SUFFERED AND THEN THE PEOPLE WHO PROCESSED IT, THEY WEREN'T TOLD THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS AND SO THEY SUFFERED.

SO I AM REALLY GLAD THAT PART OF THE BILL, BESIDES FINALLY CLAIMING OUR JUSTICE FOR NEW MEXICANS, BUT ALL FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE ALONG THE LINE THAT WERE EXPOSED.

THEY HAVE TO HELP THEM GET THEIR MEDICAL EXPENSES COVERED AND SOME LUMP SUM CERTAINLY FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING.

>>TINA: EXACTLY.

AND I WORK WITH A COALITION OF URANIUM WORKERS, MINERS AND WORKERS, I WORK WITH PHIL HARRISON OF THE NAVAJO NATION AND LORETTA ANDERSON AND ARLENE JUANITO FROM THE LAGUNA PUEBLO AND WE HAVE A STANDING MEETING EVERY THURSDAY, WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS FIGHT IS ALSO FOR WHAT ARE CALLED THE POST 71 URANIUM WORKERS AND THEY ARE EXACTLY RIGHT, LORENE.

AT ONE TIME ACROSS THE NAVAJO NATION AND THE LAGUNA AND ACOMA PUEBLO, WE WERE THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF URANIUM, THEY EXTRACTED 32 MILLION TONS OF URANIUM.

WE HAVE ONE THOUSAND ABANDONED URANIUM MINE AND MILL SITES ACROSS THE NAVAJO NATION AND THE LAGUNA AND ACOMA PUEBLO.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OR REALIZE THAT HISTORY, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WORKED IN THAT INDUSTRY, AND I WOULD SAY THEY ACTUALLY USED PEOPLE'S POVERTY AGAINST THEM.

THEY PROMISED THEM BETTER WAGES AND A BETTER LIFE, AND THOSE PEOPLE WEREN'T EVEN GIVEN BREAKS TO LEAVE THE MINES TO EAT THEIR LUNCH AND SO THEY DRANK THE CONTAMINATED WATER IN THERE, THEY WERE NEVER OFFERED ADEQUATE PROTECTION.

THEY WOULD COME OUT COVERED IN THE YELLOW CAKE DUST AND THEY WOULD GO HOME AND SPREAD THAT AMONGST THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL AND WE STILL HAVE SUPERFUND SITES ALL ACROSS THAT AREA THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED.

AND SO THIS BILL WOULD COVER THEM AS WELL, THE POST 71 URANIUM WORKERS AND OBVIOUSLY IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO REFLECT ON THE FACT THAT INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE DOESN'T PROVIDE CANCER TREATMENTS, SO IF YOU ARE A NATIVE AMERICAN AND YOU HAPPENED TO BE A URANIUM WORKER THAT WORKED AFTER 1971, AND YOU ARE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER BY INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, THEY GO AND SEARCH HEALTHCARE FOR YOU BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET IT IN A TIMELY FASHION.

AND I HAVE HEARD SO MANY HORRIBLE STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE LITERALLY PASSING AWAY BEFORE THEY EVER GET TO SEE A DOCTOR FOR TREATMENT FOR CANCER.

>>LORENE: ONE THING I WANT TO GIVE YOU A SMALL AMOUNT OF ENCOURAGEMENT ABOUT THOSE HUNDREDS OF URANIUM TAILINGS, DEPOSITS ALL OVER THE WEST, SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, DEMOCRAT FROM LAS CRUCES, HAS PUT IN A BILL, WE WAITED FOR 40 YEARS FOR THE FEDS TO CLEAN IT UP.

THEY DIDN'T BUT NOW THE STATE IS GOING TO COME AND REMEDIATE, AMELIORATE THOSE SITES AND IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM, BUT AT LEAST NOTIFY PEOPLE THAT THIS IS DANGEROUS, DON'T BUILD YOUR FORT ON THIS MOUNTAIN, AND ALSO TO SLOWLY START TAKING CARE OF THEM, NEUTRALIZING THEM AND MAKING IT SAFE AGAIN.

BUT THAT IS A BIG PROJECT, BUT SOMEONE IS AWARE OF IT AND SOMEBODY IS DOING IT.

I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, PARTICULARLY THE TRINITY BOMB AND THE PLUTONIUM.

SO TELL ME WHY THAT WAS SO PERILOUS AND TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT PLUTONIUM AND ALSO I AM GOING TO REINTRODUCE YOU NOW BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU WHEN YOU ARE ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.

WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH TINA CORDOVA WITH THE TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS CONSORTIUM.

SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW ABOUT THIS BOMB AND PLUTONIUM.

>>TINA: WELL INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, LORENE, WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME AMAZING STUDIES REVEALED TO US THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT JUST CAME TO LIGHT.

FIRST OF ALL, A VERY BRILLIANT SCIENTIST FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY TOOK TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY AND RECREATED THE BLAST AT TRINITY BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT ALWAYS SIGNIFIED, SHOWED MAPS AND PRODUCED THESE MAPS SHOWING THE FALLOUT GOING OFF IN A NORTH EASTERLY DIRECTION IN A VERY ORDERLY FASHION AWAY FROM TRINITY OVER THE MOST UNPOPULATED PARTS OF NEW MEXICO.

AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WILL NEVER BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE AND THEY MUST THINK WE ARE, YOU KNOW, VERY UNSOPHISTICATED IF THEY THINK WE WOULD BELIEVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THIS WAS THE MOST OUT OF CONTROL EVENT EVER, THE RADIATION SPREAD BETWEEN 40 AND 80 THOUSAND FEET INTO THE AIR, THAT'S THE ESTIMATE.

SO WE KNEW BECAUSE OUR ELDERS HAD TOLD US HISTORY ABOUT HOW THE ASH FELL FROM THE SKY FOR DAYS AFTERWARDS AND THOSE COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING TRINITY INCLUDING TULAROSA, BUT THE GOVERNMENT ALWAYS SAID, "NO, NO FALLOUT WENT ANY PLACE EXCEPT IN THIS NORTH EASTERLY DIRECTION."

>>LORENE: BUT THEY ALSO SAID, EXCUSE ME FOR INTERRUPTING, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT ALSO SAID, NOBODY LIVES THERE, IT IS UNINHABITED, DON'T WORRY, BLOW UP THE BOMB, IT IS NOT GOING TO BOTHER ANYBODY, AND THERE WERE HOW MANY PEOPLE, 55,000, 40,000?

>>TINA: WELL IN A 50-MILE RADIUS, THERE WERE CLOSE TO 15,000 PEOPLE LIVING THERE AND IN A 150-MILE RADIUS, THERE WERE HALF A MILLION PEOPLE LIVING.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>TINA: SO IT WASN'T REMOTE AND UNINHABITED.

BUT THIS NEW RE-CREATION OF THE FALLOUT DEPOSITION IS REMARKABLE BECAUSE IT IS SHOWS THAT ALL OF NEW MEXICO WITHIN THE FIRST 10 DAYS RECEIVED HIGH LEVELS OF DEPOSITION AND THEN THE PLUME WENT ALL THE WAY OFF TO THE ATLANTIC AND SOME OF THE FALLOUT WENT TO CANADA AND MEXICO AS WELL.

SO THIS IS ALL NEW SCIENCE AND THEN JUST TODAY, A SCIENTIST FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY RELEASED HIS FINDINGS AND WHAT HE DID IS HE CAME TO NEW MEXICO, TOOK SOME SAMPLES ALONG HIGHWAYS AROUND TRINITY AND HE FOUND PLUTONIUM THAT HE KNOWS IS ABSOLUTELY FROM THE TRINITY BOMB PRESENT IN THE SOIL SAMPLES, BECAUSE PLUTONIUM HAS A PARTICULAR FOOTPRINT TIED BACK TO THE TEST THAT IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH.

SO HE KNEW WHAT WAS BACKGROUND PLUTONIUM, IN OTHER WORDS FROM THE NEVADA TEST, AND THEN WHAT WAS TRINITY PLUTONIUM AND REMARKABLY HE FOUND PLUTONIUM IN EVERY LOCATION TIED BACK TO TRINITY AND HE IS GOING TO COME BACK CONTINUE WITH THE SOIL SAMPLING AND I BELIEVE THAT IN HIS FINDINGS, HE FOUND PLUTONIUM AS FAR NORTH AS TRUCHAS, NEW MEXICO.

SO THE REALLY TERRIBLE THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THIS, WE HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT PLUTONIUM WAS SPREAD ALL ACROSS THE TULAROSA BASIN AND BEYOND, BUT PLUTONIUM HAS A HALF-LIFE OF 24,000 YEARS AND YOU ONLY HAVE TO INGEST, INHALE OR ABSORB ONE PARTICLE AND IT REMAINS THERE FOREVER GIVING OFF RADIATION, DESTROYING CELLS, TISSUE AND ORGANS AND CAUSING CANCER AND OTHER DISEASE PROCESSES.

AND SO I FEEL THERE IS THIS AFFIRMATION OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE KNOWN AND HAVE TALKED ABOUT FOREVER, BUT THAT PEOPLE SORT OF JUST DISMISSED BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SCIENTISTS, YOU KNOW.

THEY DON'T BELIEVE OUR HISTORY, THEY DON'T BELIEVE THE FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS OF THAT DAY FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TELLING THEM CONSISTENTLY FOR 78 YEARS, SO THIS IS AN AFFIRMATION OF WHAT WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN, LORENE, AND THE SCIENTIST FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY CAME OUT AND SAID, "OF COURSE, THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN RECA AND THIS SHOULD BE ALL THE PROOF THAT THEY NEED."

BUT LET ME JUST SAY THIS, LORENE, THE DOWNWINDERS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY RECA IN THE PAST NEVER HAD TO RISE TO ANY LEVEL OF PROOF, IT WAS BASED ON AN ASSUMPTION, AN ASSUMPTION THAT IF YOU HAD A RADIOGENIC CANCER AND YOU LIVED IN A DOWNWIND AREA, THEN IT IS LIKELY THAT CANCER WAS CAUSED BY YOUR OVEREXPOSURE TO RADIATION.

BUT FOR 78 YEARS AND OBVIOUSLY FOR THE LAST 33 YEARS, AS WE HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED, MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED US WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE?

SO, IT IS INCONSISTENT WITH HOW THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED WITHOUT ASKING ANYBODY IN THOSE STATES THAT YOU LISTED, NEVADA, ARIZONA, OR UTAH TO PROVE ANYTHING, BUT WE REGULARLY ARE ASKED, WELL WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE?

SO IT IS A REAL INJUSTICE AND THE PROGRAM HAS NEVER BEEN FAIR AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS FIGHT AND WE ARE GLAD TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE LISTEN TO YOU AND TO YOUR REPORT AND WE JUST WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THE TRUE HISTORY AND GET ON BOARD WITH US.

>>LORENE: WELL, ONE THING THAT DISTRESSES ME IS THE LIFESTYLE IN 1945, SO THE TRINITY BOMB WAS EXPLODED JULY 16, 1945 THAT IS 78 YEARS AGO, AND AT THAT TIME, AND IN THAT AREA, IT WAS SORT OF SUBSISTENCE FARMING AND LIVESTOCK RAISING.

SO THEY WOULD EAT THE IRRADIATED CORN, THEY WOULD FEED THE IRRADIATED CORN TO THE IRRADIATED CATTLE AND IT JUST GOES ON AND ON, PEOPLE ARE INGESTING IT IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

NOW AND THERE IS NO ANTIDOTE, YOU CAN'T TAKE CHELATED MINERALS AND WASH IT OUT, ONCE IT'S IN THERE AND IT IS STILL RADIOACTIVE IT IS AFFECTING ALL OF YOUR CELLS.

SO I AM WONDERING WHY EVERYONE TURNED AWAY FROM THIS WHEN THEY KNEW IT HAD HAPPENED.

SO LOOK HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 80 YEARS AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS NEW BILL AND THE AWARENESS I THINK THE MOVIE OPPENHEIMER BROUGHT TO THE MANY VICTIMS OF ATOMIC ENERGY PROGRAMS BEFORE THE BOMB EVEN BEFORE THE BOMB TESTS.

SO WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING AND ARE YOU ENCOURAGED THAT YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO FINALLY GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION AND HAVE JUSTICE BE SERVED?

>>TINA: WELL, INTERESTING ENOUGH, WE HAVE BEEN VERY DISTRESSED OVER THE FACT THAT THE FILM MAKERS, THE PEOPLE THAT CAME HERE TO FILM OPPENHEIMER , PAID NO ATTENTION TO US.

WE TRIED WHILE THEY WERE HERE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM, WE TRIED AFTERWARDS.

I WAS INCLUDED IN AN EMAIL WHERE OLIVIA FERMI, THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF ENRICO FERMI, OBVIOUSLY, WAS FEATURED IN THE FILM.

SHE DID REACH OUT TO KAI BIRD, THE GENTLEMAN WHO WAS ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF AMERICAN PROMETHEUS , THE BOOK, AND SHE REQUESTED THAT HE REACH OUT TO THE FILMMAKERS AND ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD CONSIDER JUST ADDING A PANEL AT THE END OF THE FILM TO REFLECT ON THE SACRIFICE AND SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO AND THERE WAS JUST A COMPLETE REFUSAL OF THE IDEA.

SO WE WERE DISTRESSED AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S EXPLOITATION, LORENE.

THEY CAME HERE, THEY USED OUR TAX INCENTIVES, THEY INVADED OUR LANDS TO FILM THIS BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE, THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OFF OF THIS AND THEY REFLECT...I TOLD SOMEBODY THIS THIS MORNING, IF YOU WATCH THE FILM, THERE IS NOT ONE INDICATION THAT A PERSON LIVED IN NEW MEXICO.

THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON DEPICTED THAT IS A NEW MEXICAN AND IT IS OBVIOUSLY, HISTORICALLY UNTRUE.

WE WERE THE FULL SUPPORT TO THE MANHATTAN PROJECT, YOU'VE ALREADY HAD TALKED ABOUT URANIUM MINING.

WITHOUT THE URANIUM MINERS, THERE IS NO FISSION PROCESS, NO BOMB BUILDING AND SO WITHOUT THEM REFLECTING ON ANY PART OF IT, WE WERE VERY DISTRESSED BUT I WILL TELL YOU, WE HAVE GARNERED SO MUCH ATTENTION NOW BECAUSE WE ARE TELLING THE FULL HISTORY AND WE ARE MAKING CERTAIN THAT PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE WORLD KNOW THE TRUE HISTORY OF TRINITY AND THE PART THAT THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO PLAYED IN THE MANHATTAN PROJECT.

WE ARE HOPEFUL RIGHT NOW, WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THEY ARE LISTENING TO US IN CONGRESS AND THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER THEY ARE BEING CONFRONTED WITH THIS REALITY THAT WE HAVE LIVED WITH FOR 78 YEARS.

>>LORENE: SO MANY OF THOSE OMISSIONS ARE SO GRIEVOUS BECAUSE EVEN WHEN THEY BUILT THE LABS, THAT WAS NATIVE AMERICAN LAND AND THERE WERE HISPANIC LANDOWNERS AND THEY JUST HUSTLED THEM OFF.

AND THEN THE WHOLE URANIUM INDUSTRY AND THE DANGER THAT THEY WENT THROUGH AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE DOWNWINDERS AND ONE OF THE MOST MOVING PARTS TO ME IS THE PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST OUTSTANDING IN THEIR FIELD, AND THEY WITNESSED WITH THEIR OWN EYES, THIS BOMB AND THEY FELL ON THEIR KNEES AND PRAYED, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE END OF THE WORLD.

THE SUN WAS RISING IN THE NORTH INSTEAD OF THE EAST, I MEAN THESE FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS ARE TERRIFYING.

>>TINA: THEY ARE TERRIFYING, AND I'VE HEARD SO MANY OF THEM AND THEN YOU DESCRIBED THEM PERFECTLY, LORENE.

I MEAN MOST PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT WERE EXPERIENCING THE END OF THE WORLD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY PRAYED.

I WILL NEVER FORGET ONE LADY TOLD ME THE STORY ABOUT HOW SHE WAS BORN THE DAY BEFORE THE BOMB WAS DETONATED AND HER MOTHER WAS STILL RECOVERING FROM HAVING GIVEN CHILDBIRTH AND SHE EXPERIENCED THIS IN CARRIZOZO AND SHE SAID, "MY MOM WAS SO TERRIFIED, SHE SIMPLY GATHERED ME, A BRAND NEW BABY, AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS TOGETHER IN BED WITH HER, BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS OFF WORKING ON THE RAILROAD, AND SHE GATHERED US TOGETHER AND STARTED PRAYING AND THOUGHT IF WE ARE GOING TO DIE, WE ARE GOING TO DIE TOGETHER."

AND WHAT IS AMAZING THEY HAD NO FORM OF COMMUNICATION, THEY COULDN'T SIT DOWN AND CALL SOMEBODY, THEY COULDN'T TURN THE TV ON, THEY COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, TURN A COMPUTER ON.

THEY LIVED IN VERY ISOLATED LITTLE ENCLAVES ALL ACROSS THE STATE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE INFORMATION, INFORMATION WASN'T AVAILABLE.

THEY WERE TERRIFIED THAT DAY AND IMAGINE A WOMAN JUST HAVING GIVEN BIRTH AND HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE AND THINKING THAT SHE AND HER CHILDREN ARE GOING TO DIE.

AND SO IT WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE, THEY NEVER WARNED US BEFORE OR AFTERWARDS AND THE HISTORY OF IT IS JUST HORRIFIC.

I RECENTLY FOUND OUT, LORENE, THAT WHEN THEY FINALLY ENCOURAGED GENERAL GROVES TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO EVACUATE THE PEOPLE OF CARRIZOZO IT JUST GOT OUT OF HAND AND WE HAD AN ACTIVE RAIL SYSTEM THROUGH CARRIZOZO, THROUGH SAN ANTONIO, THROUGH SOCORRO TO TULAROSA.

INSTEAD OF LINING UP SOME RAIL CARS, THEY LINED UP SOME CATTLE TRUCKS.

>>LORENE: OH.

>>TINA: I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WE DON'T MOVE CATTLE IN JULY BECAUSE IT IS INHUMANE, IT IS FAR TOO HOT.

THE ROADS WERE DIRT ROADS BACK THEN, THE CATTLE TRUCKS WOULD HAVE BEEN FILTHY, NO PLACE TO SIT DOWN AND I THINK ABOUT MY FRIEND THAT WAS A DAY OLD.

I THINK ABOUT MY FRIEND BERNICE GUTIRREZ WHO WAS EIGHT DAYS OLD, I THINK ABOUT THEIR MOTHERS WRAPPING THEM UP IN A BLANKET AND BEING HERDED INTO CATTLE TRUCKS TO BE DRIVEN OFF TO SOME PLACE UNKNOWN ON A DIRT ROAD IN JULY.

AND IT IS JUST MIND BLOWING THAT THERE WAS SUCH A LACK OF CONCERN FOR US, IT WAS THE BEST GENERAL GROVES COULD DO IS TO LINE UP SOME CATTLE TRUCKS.

AND SO THESE STORIES ARE UNCONSCIONABLE, IT IS JUST OUTRAGEOUS THAT WE HAVE BEEN LEFT HERE TO DEAL WITH THIS THIS WAY AND OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE NO CONCERN FOR US THEN AND THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE NO CONCERN FOR US TODAY.

THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO ATONE FOR ALL OF THAT, MISTAKES WERE MADE AND THEY JUST NEED TO COME BACK AND ADMIT THAT AND ATONE FOR IT.

>>LORENE: WELL ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE ALMOST AT THE END OF OUR INTERVIEW BUT I WANT TO MENTION THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WANT MORE INFORMATION THEY CAN GO TO A WEBSITE CALLED WWW.TRINTITYDOWNWINDERS.COM >>TINA: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>LORENE: THEY CAN FIND OUT WHAT THEY CAN DO, HOW THEY CAN HELP.

I THINK THE TIDES HAVE REALLY TURNED IN YOUR FAVOR AND, OF COURSE, IT DOESN'T HELP ALL THE PEOPLE WITH CANCER, BUT AT LEAST IF WE CAN GET THEM TREATMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT WAS MANY PEOPLE ON MANY LEVELS WORKING ON MANY JOBS RELATED TO THE INDUSTRY THAT ALL NEED TO BE PROTECTED AND COVERED.

SO, TELL ME, YOU HAVE A MINUTE AND A HALF LEFT TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW AND WHAT WE CAN DO.

>>TINA: WELL FOR STARTERS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO REACH OUT TO ALL OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, ALL FIVE, OUR TWO SENATORS AND OUR THREE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND TELL THEM THAT AS A NEW MEXICAN YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND YOU WANT THEM TO BECOME ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THESE BILLS PASSED IN CONGRESS.

WE DON'T NEED PASSIVE CO-SPONSORS WE NEED ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THAT PROCESS.

EVERYBODY IN WASHINGTON HAS A RELATIONSHIP THAT THEY CAN CALL IN FOR A VOTE.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO OUR GOVERNOR, OUR GOVERNOR HAS A LOT OF CONTACT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE, AND SHE COULD DO A LOT TO SUPPORT WHAT WE ARE DOING.

WE HAVE MET WITH HER, SHE HAS PROMISED TO SUPPORT US, BUT I THINK SHE NEEDS TO HEAR IT FROM MORE PEOPLE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE OF CONCERN FOR THEM.

SO, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND I WILL TELL YOU WE HAVE THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE, I AM GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT UP SENATOR STEINBORN WHO IS A CHAMPION FOR US.

REPRESENTATIVE JOANNE FERRARY, SHE IS A CHAMPION FOR US.

AND WE NEED EVERYBODY TO JOIN WITH US, LORENE, THIS IS LIKELY OUR BEST SHOT AT GETTING THIS DONE.

THE PROGRAM WILL EXPIRE IN JUNE OF 2024, SO WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH THIS RECONCILIATION PROCESS.

>>LORENE: BUT WASN'T THAT PART OF THE BILL THAT SENATOR LUJAN AND THE OTHER SENATORS WAS TO GIVE A TWO-YEAR EXTENSION?

>>TINA: WELL, THEY ACTUALLY, THE WAY THE BILL IS WRITTEN IT'S MORE THAN A TWO-YEAR EXTENSION.

>>LORENE: OH GOOD.

>>TINA: IT WILL ADD US AND I WANT TO SAY FOR AN ADDITIONAL NINE YEARS, IT IS EITHER NINE OR NINETEEN YEARS AND I KNOW I SHOULD KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

EITHER WAY, IF THEY GET THIS BILL PASSED, IT WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WE WILL BASICALLY FINALLY HAVE THE JUSTICE THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE WILL BE WATCHING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT BILL.

IT'S BEEN THROUGH THE THE SENATE, NOW IT IS GOING TO THE HOUSE.

I AM JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME, OUR GUEST TODAY IS TINA CORDOVA WITH THE TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS CONSORTIUM.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

I AM JUST VERY GRATEFUL YOU GOT TO COME AND TELL US ABOUT IT.

>>TINA: WELL THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION, LORENE, AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US AND ALWAYS TAKING AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THIS.

YOU KNOW THE SUBJECT MATTER WELL AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND HOPEFULLY TOGETHER WE WILL CELEBRATE ONE OF THESE DAYS.

>>LORENE: YES, I HOPE SO, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU, THANK YOU.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM