♪ MUSIC 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 THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS, AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA F. OUR GUEST IS TINA CORDOVA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US >>TINA: IT'S A PLEASURE ALWAYS TO BE WITH YOU, LORENE.

>>LORENE: IT ALWAYS IS, BUT IT IS MORE OF A PLEASURE FOR ME BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED IN GETTING PAST WHAT'S CALLED THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT.

IT PASSED IN VARIOUS FORMS BEFORE BUT NOW TELL ME WHAT THIS BILL IS AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO GIVE TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO.

>>TINA: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE I JUMP INTO ALL THAT, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO, INCLUDING OUR ENTIRE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, FOR STICKING WITH THIS, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD BILLS ENTERED FOR 15 YEARS.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

>>TINA: AND LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE EVER SAW ANY SUCCESS AND WE WERE SO CLOSE TO GETTING IT DONE LAST YEAR.

THEN, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, MIKE JOHNSON, REFUSED TO ALLOW A VOTE ON THE FLOOR, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THE VOTES.

SO PEOPLE WERE SO DISAPPOINTED, IMAGINE THE ELATION PEOPLE ARE FEELING NOW TO KNOW THAT IT MADE ITS WAY THROUGH.

SO THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1990 TO TAKE CARE OF URANIUM WORKERS WHO WORKED BEFORE 1971, IN THE URANIUM FIELD AND ALSO CERTAIN DOWNWINDERS DOWNWIND OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE IN COUNTIES SPECIFIC COUNTIES OF UTAH, ARIZONA AND NEVADA.

IT NEVER INCLUDED THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO, THE FIRST PEOPLE EXPOSED TO RADIATION.

>>LORENE: WE WERE THE CLOSEST TO IT.

>>TINA: AND WE WERE THE CLOSEST.

>>LORENE: THEY WERE COVERING PEOPLE 238 MILES AWAY, BUT WE WERE 12 MILES FROM THE TEST.

>>TINA: ABSOLUTELY.

YOU'VE GOT THAT MUCH ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

WE LIVED AS CLOSE AS 12 MILES TO THE TRINITY BOMB SITE.

WE WEREN'T WARNED BEFORE OR AFTERWARDS AND THE LEGACY OF THAT IS THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THE NEGATIVE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES EVER SINCE.

I MEAN, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DYING.

I REGULARLY TELL PEOPLE I'M THE FOURTH GENERATION TO HAVE CANCER IN MY FAMILY SINCE 1945.

ONE THING I HAVEN'T SHARED WITH YOU IS THAT I HAVE A NIECE WHO IS 24 YEARS OLD NOW, SHE WAS 23 WHEN SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THYROID CANCER, AND SHE'S THE FIFTH GENERATION.

AND IF THAT WEREN'T BAD ENOUGH, I HAVE TWO BROTHERS.

MY YOUNGEST BROTHER, HER FATHER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH KIDNEY CANCER THIS YEAR IN JANUARY, SO IT DOESN'T END LORENE, THIS DOESN'T GO AWAY.

AND THE RECA EXPANSION THAT JUST GOT PASSED WILL, FOR THE FIRST TIME, INCLUDE ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WE'RE ALL DOWNWIND OF SOMETHING.

I CAN GO INTO THE SPECIFICS AS WE DISCUSS IT TODAY, BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

THE BILL ALSO INCLUDES AN APOLOGY FOR THE HARM THAT WAS DONE AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR A ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF REPARATIONS, EVEN ON BEHALF OF DECEASED LOVED ONES.

SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS, WE KNOW THE BILL DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH, AND WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR MORE, BUT THIS IS THE CRACK IN THE DAM WE'VE ALWAYS WAITED FOR.

THIS IS THE ENTRY INTO THE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING SO LONG FOR, FOR 20 YEARS.

>>LORENE: AND I WANT TO, WE'LL GIVE THIS AT THE END TOO, BUT I WANT TO MENTION THE WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT OR TO SIGN UP FOR THE ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER.

IT'S WWW.TRINITYDOWNWINDERS.COM AND WE'LL HAVE THAT THERE NOW AND AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM.

BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO KNOW, THIS AFFECTED ALL OF US AND WE ALL QUALIFY.

>>TINA: IT AFFECTED ALL OF US AND WE ALL QUALIFY.

ANYONE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO WHO MEETS THE QUALIFYING FACTORS WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY AND RECEIVE THAT PAYMENT OF REPARATIONS.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND THEY CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE THAT YOU LISTED, AND WE'LL HAVE UPDATES THERE.

THIS IS FAST DEVELOPING, WE DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY JUST YET, THIS IS FAST DEVELOPING, BUT OUR WEB SITE WILL KEEP PEOPLE ABREAST OF THE PROGRESS, AND IT'LL LET PEOPLE KNOW, NUMBER ONE, WHEN THEY CAN START APPLYING AND NUMBER TWO, WE'LL HAVE TRAINED PEOPLE ALL THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, WHO WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST THOSE WHO NEED SPECIAL ASSISTANCE WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

>>LORENE: YES.

AND THERE'S ALSO, A FILM CALLED FIRST WE BOMB NEW MEXICO AND IT'S BY LOIS LIPPMANN, WHERE CAN PEOPLE SEE THAT FILM, CAN THEY GET ONLINE?

>>TINA: SO THE FILM IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DOCUMENTATION OF THE WORK THAT WE DID.

WE'RE SO PROUD OF THE FILM, IT'S BEEN WINNING AWARDS AT FILM FESTIVALS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE DON'T HAVE A STREAMING CONTRACT YET, SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY OUT THERE LISTENING WHO WORKS CLOSELY WITH AMAZON OR NETFLIX OR ANY OF THE OTHER BIG STREAMERS, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, WE'VE GOT TO GET IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY LIKE THAT SO IT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE WIDELY.

RIGHT NOW, IF YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, YOU CAN FIND OUT WHERE IT'S BEING SHOWN IN YOUR AREA, SCREENED IN YOUR AREA, AND YOU CAN ALSO REQUEST A SCREENING.

THERE'S A LICENSE FEE THAT HAS TO BE PAID FOR THAT, BUT WE HAVE UNIVERSITIES REQUESTING SCREENINGS, WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS REQUESTING SCREENINGS, AND SO IT'S MADE AVAILABLE THAT WAY.

WE HAVE A SCREENING THIS WEEK AT ROUTE 66, THE CHEROKEE NATION IS HAVING A CONFERENCE THERE, AND IT'LL BE SCREENED FOR THEM THIS WEEK.

SO THE FILM IS BEAUTIFUL, WWW.FIRSTWEBOMBNEWMEXICO.COM IS THE WEBSITE.

AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE ENDING BECAUSE THE ENDING WAS, WE'RE STILL FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, AND NOW.

>>LORENE: RIGHT AND NOW.

IT'S JUST SO WONDERFUL BECAUSE JUST SO MANY TIMES, YOU, AND THEN SUDDENLY AND I THINK THE HEADLINE THAT I GOT WAS, A GOOD THING FOR NEW MEXICO COMES OUT OF THAT BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL THAT WAS FINALLY SIGNED.

BUT IT'S JUST SUCH A RELIEF AND ALSO THAT EVEN PEOPLE WHO DIED FROM THEIR EXPOSURE TO RADIOACTIVITY, THE FAMILY, WILL STILL RECEIVE COMPENSATION.

IT'S JUST A GESTURE, BUT IT'S A VERY WELCOME GESTURE, AND IT HONORS THE PRICE THEY PAID.

>>TINA: YEAH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME SO MANY TIMES ABOUT THAT, ABOUT THE WHOLE GESTURE OF THIS AND WHAT I HAVE SAID IS THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WILL EVER MAKE US WHOLE AGAIN.

WE WILL NEVER BE MADE WHOLE AND CERTAINLY THE REPARATION OF $100,000 IN EXCHANGE FOR THOSE WE'VE LOST IS FAIRLY LIMITED, BUT IT IS A GESTURE.

IT WILL MAKE SOME FAMILIES, IT WILL MAKE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO SOME FAMILIES THAT HAVEN'T SEEN OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PAST.

BECAUSE WHAT I SAY ALL THE TIME IS WE HAVE CONSTANTLY GIVEN UP OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP GENERATIONAL WEALTH BECAUSE WE'RE SO BUSY TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HEALTH THAT WE DON'T GET A CHANCE TO DEVELOP GENERATIONAL WEALTH, TO PASS ON ANYTHING TO OUR CHILDREN OR OUR GRANDCHILDREN.

WELL, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, RESOURCES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE THAT PEOPLE CAN USE TO HELP CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN GO TO COLLEGE, TO MAYBE REMODEL A BATHROOM WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS AN ADA BATHROOM.

I MEAN, THE LIST IS LONG AND SO I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THIS EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE NEW MEXICO IS GOING TO BRING BACK HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REPARATIONS.

WE KNOW THAT, WE KNOW THAT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CLAIMS WILL BE FILED AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BRING BACK RESOURCES THAT ARE THAT LARGE AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY COME AROUND TO DO THAT.

>>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO DO THIS SHOW WITH YOU.

NOW THAT THE BILL REALLY PASSED, THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT, NOW THAT IT'S FINALLY IT'S LAW, NOW.

>>TINA: IT'S A LAW.

>>LORENE: AND TO OFFER RECOMPENSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S MAYBE A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT, BUT IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARD HEALING NEW MEXICO.

>>TINA: ABSOLUTELY.

AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THE BILL DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

WE KNOW THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS FIGHT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE REMINDED ME, IS THAT WHEN THEY ESTABLISHED THIS IN 1990, 35 YEARS AGO, THEY'VE AMENDED IT SEVERAL TIMES IN THOSE 35 YEARS TO EXPAND IT TO INCLUDE MORE TO UPDATE IT AND SO WE KNOW THAT NOW THAT WE'RE IN THE BILL, EVEN THOUGH THE EXPANSION AND EXTENSION IS JUST TWO YEARS, WE KNOW THAT IT'LL NOW BE MUCH EASIER FOR US TO SAY WE WANT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE, BECAUSE ORIGINALLY IT HAD HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR US AND NOW IT DOESN'T.

AND SO WE ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT NOW IT WILL ALLOW US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE BILL AND EXPAND IT EVEN FURTHER.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, RIGHT.

THANK YOU, I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT AND AGAIN, WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE WEBSITE WE WILL KEEP SHOWING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, BECAUSE PROBABLY THEY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS, OLD FAMILY MEMBERS, DECEASED FAMILY MEMBERS.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION AND EVERYONE WHO IS EXPOSED REALLY DESERVES IT.

>>TINA: AND THIS IS AN 80 YEAR HISTORY, THIS YEAR IT WILL BE 80 YEARS SINCE THEY DETONATED THE BOMB AT TRINITY.

THAT'S A LONG TIME LORENE, AND FINDING RECORDS IS NOT GOING TO BE SIMPLE, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ASSIST PEOPLE.

I KNOW THAT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FROM ALL ACROSS NEW MEXICO ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH US TO DO THAT, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND MEDICAL RECORDS THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD DATE BACK 50 YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND RECORDS THAT PROVE WE LIVED IN NEW MEXICO FOR ONE YEAR BETWEEN 1942 AND 1962.

IMAGINE THAT.

>>LORENE: IMAGINE THAT, BUT THOSE PEOPLE ARE ELDERLY, AND YOU DON'T FIND THINGS EASILY.

>>TINA: SO WE'RE GOING TO GO ON A SEARCH FOR RECORDS.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PEOPLE PROPERLY TRAINED, AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK OUR GOVERNMENT, OUR LOCAL STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ASSIST US IN SECURING THE RECORDS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND THAT THAT THEY RECEIVE THE COMPENSATION THAT JUSTIFIABLY SO, THEY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED 35 YEARS AGO WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED.

SO HERE WE ARE.

YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT KEPT THIS ALIVE IN CONGRESS FOR ALL THESE YEARS AND I'M GRATEFUL TO GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM, WHO'S BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF OUR WORK, AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE, BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE'VE HAD THESE MEMORIALS PASSED WITH 100% BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN NEW MEXICO KNOWS THEY'VE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS.

EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN AFFECTED, EVERYBODY HAS A FAMILY MEMBER THAT'S BEEN AFFECTED.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE NOT FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO GET SUPPORT FROM LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS.

>>LORENE: I'D LIKE YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND.

WHY WAS THE BOMB AT THE FIRST TRINITY SITE, WHY WAS IT SO DANGEROUS?

WHAT WAS IT, WHAT WAS SO UNEXPECTED ABOUT THIS THAT THEY HADN'T TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AND WHAT KIND OF FALLOUT WAS IT, WHY WAS THE FALLOUT SO TERRIBLE FROM THIS ONE TEST BOMB?

>>TINA: SO THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION, LORENE, BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.

YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY THERE WERE THINGS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT KNEW AT THE TIME, AND THERE WERE THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW.

WHAT THEY KNEW FOR CERTAIN IS THAT RADIATION WAS DANGEROUS TO HUMAN HEALTH, THAT WAS A WELL-ESTABLISHED FACT IN 1945.

THEY ALSO KNEW THAT THE BOMB WAS GOING TO CREATE MASSIVE FALLOUT AND THEY KNEW THAT BECAUSE THEY DID A PRECURSOR TEST TO TRINITY CALLED THE 100-TON TEST, WHERE THEY TOOK 100 POUNDS OF CONVENTIONAL EXPLOSIVES, 100 TONS, I'M SORRY, 100 TONS OF CONVENTIONAL EXPLOSIVES, LACED IT WITH RADIATION, DETONATED IT OUT THERE AND TRACKED THE RADIATION.

AND THEY KNEW THAT THAT PRODUCED FALLOUT THAT WENT EVERYWHERE, THEY DETECTED IT ALL THE WAY TO ROSWELL.

AND SO THEY KNEW THOSE THINGS, WHAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WAS HOW MUCH PLUTONIUM WAS GOING TO BE NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS EXPLOSION GO AND SO THEY OVERPACKED THE BOMB WITH WEAPONS GRADE PLUTONIUM, AND A FULL 10 POUNDS OF PLUTONIUM WENT UP IN THE FIREBALL THAT WENT SEVEN MILES HIGH.

IT EXCEEDED THE ATMOSPHERE, PENETRATED THE STRATOSPHERE.

WE KNOW NOW BECAUSE A PRINCETON SCIENTIST HAS MAPPED OUT THE FALLOUT USING TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY AND A SUPERCOMPUTER AND EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT THE TEST AND HISTORICAL WEATHER DATA THAT THAT BOMB IRRADIATED 46 STATES, CANADA AND MEXICO, BUT IT SEVERELY IRRADIATED THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

SO THE FALLOUT WENT EVERYWHERE AND IF YOU CONSIDER OUR LIFESTYLES, THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE RUNNING WATER IN MOST TOWNS AND ELECTRICITY.

>>LORENE: SO WHATEVER WAS ON THEIR SKIN, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WASH IT OFF, IT WOULD JUST SIT THERE RADIATING INWARD TO FLESH.

>>TINA: ABSOLUTELY AND ON THEIR SCALP AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE CONSUMING THE WATER.

WE COLLECTED WATER AND JULY IS OUR RAINY SEASON, WE'RE IN OUR RAINY SEASON RIGHT NOW, AND NEXT WEEK IS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY.

WE COLLECTED THE WATER IN CISTERNS, PEOPLE DEPENDED ON THE ACEQUIAS, THE DITCH SYSTEMS AND THE LAKES AND THE PONDS IN THE RIVERS FOR THEIR WATER SOURCE AND THAT WAS ALL IRRADIATED AND THEIR COMPLETE FOOD SUPPLY.

IF YOU HAVE NO ELECTRICITY, YOU HAVE NO REFRIGERATION, NO WAY TO STORE FOOD, GROCERIES.

THERE WERE NO GROCERY STORES, SO EVERYTHING WE ATE AND CONSUMED WAS PRODUCED AT HOME BY OURSELVES AND ALL OF THAT WAS IRRADIATED.

NOW WE WERE MAXIMALLY EXPOSED TO RADIATION AND, YOU KNOW, PLUTONIUM HAS A HALF-LIFE OF 24,000 YEARS.

>>LORENE: THAT'S SO INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT WE, WITH THIS PITIFUL LITTLE LIFE SPAN, YOU KNOW, 75 TO 100 YEARS, THAT WE'RE NOT THINKING IN TERMS OF A HALF-LIFE OF 24,000 YEARS.

WE'VE GOT TO LOOK DOWN THE ROAD, WE'VE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS.

>>TINA: ABSOLUTELY AND, YOU KNOW, SCIENTISTS ARE RETURNING TO NEW MEXICO NOW.

INDEPENDENT SCIENTISTS, DOCTOR MICHAEL KETTERER, WHO'S A PROFESSOR EMERITUS AT NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY, WAS HERE, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND HE'S BACK THIS SUMMER WITH THE MOBILE LAB AND HE'S TESTING SOIL, WATER AND PLANTS FOR PLUTONIUM.

HE'S FINDING THE HIGHEST LEVELS HE'S RECORDED ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME AND IT SHOULD BE CONCERNING TO EVERYBODY AND SO THERE'S THAT.

AND THEN THERE'S THE FACT THAT THE BOMB WAS NOT A STATIC PROCESS, SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY, WELL, YOU WEREN'T ALIVE AT THE TIME.

I ALWAYS REMIND THEM THAT THE RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES LIKE STRONTIUM, THE ONE WE TAKE UP IN OUR BONES, HAS A HALF-LIFE OF 35 YEARS, SO WE WERE WELL INTO, YOU KNOW, 35 YEARS AFTER THAT, WE WERE WELL INTO THE 70S AND THEN IF YOU CONSIDER THE TESTING AT NEVADA, WHICH WE WERE DOWNWIND OF, ALSO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 90S BEFORE WE EVEN REACHED THE HALF-LIFE OF STRONTIUM AND CESIUM.

>>LORENE: TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT IS TRINITITE, BECAUSE AT THE TEST SITE FROM THE TRINITY BOMB, A NEW ELEMENT WAS CREATED.

>>TINA: IMAGINE THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD YOU'LL FIND IT IS IN NEW MEXICO.

TO ME, IT'S ALMOST LIKE PROPHETIC THAT WHEN THAT POWER WAS RELEASED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON EARTH, IT PRODUCED ITS OWN ELEMENT, TRINITITE.

IT'S A RADIOACTIVE GREEN-LOOKING GLASS THAT AT ONE POINT COVERED THE BASIN IN THAT AREA WHERE THE TEST WAS CONDUCTED.

THE BOMB CREATED MORE HEAT THAN THE SUN, 10,000 TIMES MORE HEAT THAN THE SUN, SO IT MELTED THE SAND AND IT TURNED IT GREEN BECAUSE OF THE COPPER, ZINC AND OTHER METALS THAT WERE IN THE SOIL, IT CHANGED THE COLOR TO THIS GREEN LOOKING, GLASS-LIKE SUBSTANCE THAT ONLY EXISTS IN NEW MEXICO, THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD.

>>LORENE: CONTINUES TO BE REALLY RADIOACTIVE EVEN NOW.

WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH TINA CORDOVA, ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS CONSORTIUM.

I AM SO GLAD YOU'VE COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE NEW MEXICANS HAVE TO REALLY, REALLY BE AWARE.

BUT I'M GOING TO ASK A VERY DUMB KID'S QUESTION, HOW CAN AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S BEEN EXPOSED OR A COMMUNITY OR A STATE, AMELIORATE THE DAMAGE THAT IT COULD BE DOING, WHAT STEPS CAN WE DO TO MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE WE'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO?

>>TINA: WELL, THE TRUTH IS, THERE'S NOT THAT MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE.

I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THERE'S REALLY NO REMEDIATION FOR THE TRINITY BOMB, AS AN EXAMPLE, BUT WE DO HAVE SUPERFUND SITES ASSOCIATED WITH THE URANIUM MINING AND THOSE SUPERFUND SITES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

WE'RE STILL RAISING CHILDREN ADJACENT TO SOME OF THESE MINE AND MILL SITES THAT ARE SUPERFUND SITES.

ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT, THOUGH, LORENE, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE AWARE THAT AS WE SPEAK TODAY, THERE IS AN OUT OF STATE COMPANY CALLED HOLTEC THAT WANTS TO BRING HIGH LEVEL WASTE TO NEW MEXICO.

WE SHOULD NOT BE THE NATION'S DUMPING GROUND FOR ALL OF THESE HORRENDOUS PRODUCTS THAT THERE IS NO REMEDIATION OF.

>>LORENE: I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD SOME VERY VISIONARY SENATORS, LIKE SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, WHO HAVE PUT UP, IT'S CERTAIN THAT NEW MEXICO WILL NOT RECEIVE CERTAIN KINDS OF WASTE.

>>TINA: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: SO, NOW THE PROBLEM IS THAT'S A STATE LAW, BUT CAN THE FEDS OVERRULE IT, BECAUSE THEY WOULD LOVE TO PUT EVERYTHING DOWN BY WIPP, NOT AT WIPP, THEY WANT TO MAKE A WHOLE NEW PLACE.

AND LIKE YOU SAY, IT'S GOING TO BE RADIOACTIVE FOR 24,000 YEARS, WE DON'T WANT IT.

>>TINA: NO, WE DON'T WANT IT.

>>LORENE: WE ALREADY GAVE.

>>TINA: WE'VE DONE OUR SHARE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THERE.

MANY YEARS AGO, ONE OF THESE COMPANIES TRIED TO CONVINCE THE MESCALERO APACHE NATION TO ACCEPT THIS KIND OF WASTE AND BUILD A FACILITY OUT THERE TO ACCEPT THE WASTE.

THEY PROMISED THEM THE WORLD, AND THEY CAME VERY CLOSE TO GETTING ALL THE APPROVALS.

AND WE HAD THAT MASSIVE WILDFIRE THAT BURNED THROUGH THERE LAST SUMMER AND AS THAT WILDFIRE WAS BURNING, ALL I KEPT THINKING WAS IMAGINE IF WE'D HAD THAT WASTE STORED THERE.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>TINA: WHAT A THREAT THAT WOULD BE TO OUR BEAUTIFUL STATE.

I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, LORENE, THAT THEY'LL TELL US IT'S SAFE AND SEEMINGLY IT IS, BUT THE MOMENT IT'S NOT, IT'S CATASTROPHIC.

AND YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK AND THEY DON'T RETURN AND WE'RE THE 80-YEAR PROOF THAT THEY DON'T RETURN.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

SO WHEN IS THIS DANGEROUS, THERE ARE THREE WAYS WE CAN GET IT, ABSORPTION THROUGH THE SKIN, INHALATION AND... >>TINA: AND WHEN YOU CONSUME IT, WHEN YOU INGEST IT.

THOSE ARE THE THREE WAYS, AND YOU KNOW PEOPLE ASK ME REGULARLY, ARE WE SAFE, AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

I DON'T THINK ENOUGH TESTING AND REPORTING HAS BEEN DONE ON WHERE THERE ARE HIGH LEVELS OF RADIATION IN OUR STATE AND I THINK WE SHOULD STAND UP FOR THAT.

I THINK WE, AS RESIDENTS IN THIS STATE, SHOULD STAND UP FOR MORE TESTING AND REPORTING ON WHERE THEY'RE FINDING HIGH LEVELS OF RADIATION.

AND AGAIN, I THINK WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO STAND UP AND SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT THIS ANY LONGER.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE SAID THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, LORENE, IS IN THE 1940S, WHEN THEY ESTABLISHED THE MANHATTAN PROJECT AND THEY DETONATED THE TRINITY BOMB, THEY COUNTED ON US TO BE UNSOPHISTICATED, UNEDUCATED AND UNABLE TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES.

WE'RE NOT THOSE PEOPLE ANYMORE.

>>LORENE: NO.

>>TINA: LOOK AT ALL THAT WE KNOW NOW.

>>LORENE: IT'S A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE, THEY WANT TO DUMP IT WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE SO DUMB AND CAN'T SPELL RADIOACTIVE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN NOBODY WILL NOTICE.

WELL, WE STOOD UP AND TOOK NOTICE.

>>TINA: EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE LAWMAKERS AND THE CITIZENS WHO SAID NO.

AND ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A PROGRAM WHERE THEY WANTED TO TAKE ALL THE SPENT NUCLEAR WASTE FROM ALL THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND BRING THEM HERE WHERE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

AND THANK GOODNESS OUR LEADERSHIP WAS ABLE TO SAY NO, THEY CAN STAY WHERE THEY WERE CREATED UNTIL THE NATION BUILDS A NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY.

WE DON'T HAVE ONE, WIPP IS CALLED A WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PROJECT, IT'S NOT A PERMANENT REPOSITORY AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE.

>>TINA: WELL, IT'S BECOME DE FACTO AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAY, IS THAT THIS IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TO STORE HIGH LEVEL WASTE HERE.

AND I ALWAYS SAY, REALLY GO TO THE URANIUM MINING BELT OF NEW MEXICO AND TALK TO THE URANIUM MINERS THAT ARE DYING, AND THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY WISH THEY HAD KNOWN THEN WHAT THEY KNOW NOW ABOUT HOW IT WAS GOING TO DAMAGE THEIR HEALTH.

I REGULARLY SAY, NO JOB IS BETTER THAN A DIRTY JOB, I'VE SEEN FAR TOO MANY MINERS WITH LUNG DISEASE DYING WITHOUT MUCH ASSISTANCE TO BASICALLY SUPPORT A PROCESS WHERE I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A DIRTY JOB FOR SOMEBODY.

NO JOB IS BETTER THAN A DIRTY JOB.

>>LORENE: WELL, OUR GUEST TODAY IS TINA CORDOVA WITH THE TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS CONSORTIUM.

BUT ONE OF THE REASON I WANTED YOU HERE, BECAUSE THIS NEW BILL, THE RADIATION EXPOSURE, IT'S NOT A NEW BILL, BUT IT WAS FINALLY PASSED, RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT, AND IT FINALLY INCLUDES THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO.

SO THIS IS A REAL RESOURCE FOR EDUCATION, FOR COMPENSATION AND ALSO IN A WAY PREVENTIVE TOO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT IT, WE DON'T WANT OTHER PEOPLE'S WASTE COMING HERE.

SO YOUR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL.

>>TINA: WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I HADN'T MENTIONED YET IS THAT PART OF THE RECA, THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT IS THAT THEY ESTABLISH WHAT ARE CALLED RESEP CLINICS, RADIATION EXPOSURE SCREENING AND EDUCATION PROGRAM CLINICS, WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO ANNUALLY AND BE SCREENED FOR CANCER.

AND SO THIS IS ANOTHER RESOURCE THAT'S GOING TO COME TO NEW MEXICO IN A BIG WAY.

WE'VE HAD RESEP CLINICS, BUT THEY'VE ONLY SCREENED URANIUM WORKERS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T ACCEPT DOWNWINDERS IN THE PROGRAM.

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, THE RESEP CLINICS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO DOWNWINDERS AS WELL, WHICH MEANS ANYONE IN NEW MEXICO CAN GO BE SCREENED AND THAT'S HUGE.

>>LORENE: THAT IS HUGE.

AND THAT WEBSITE, BY THE WAY, IS WWW.TRINITYDOWNWINDERS.COM WE'LL PUT THAT OUT THERE.

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW MORE, I THINK ANYONE WHO HEARS ABOUT THIS AND HOW VULNERABLE WE ALL ARE, WANTS TO KNOW MORE AND HOW THEY CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES.

SO I'M SO GRATEFUL TO YOU, OUR GUEST IS TINA CORDOVA, AGAIN OF THE TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS CONSORTIUM.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US.

>>TINA: I APPRECIATE IT, LORENE AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS WORK.

>>LORENE: WELL, DON'T STOP, WE NEED YOU.

>>TINA: WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR HEALTH CARE COVERAGE AND THAT THE PROGRAM BE EXPANDED FURTHER TO INCLUDE MORE PEOPLE.

>>LORENE: WE'RE FINALLY GETTING NEW MEXICANS, A HUGE STEP.

>>TINA: YES, MA'AM.

>>LORENE: WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME, THANK YOU SO MUCH TINA CORDOVA.

>>TINA: IT WAS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

>>LORENE: ALWAYS, ALWAYS.

AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON A VERY SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT EDITION OF REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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 THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

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