Superfund Research Program
Community Engagement Core
Project Leader: Karletta Chief
Co-Investigators: Raina M. Maier, Stephanie Carroll
Grant Number: P42ES004940
Funding Period: 2005-2025
Project-Specific Links
Hazardous Waste Sites
News Items
Final Progress Reports
PublicationsConnect with the Grant Recipients
Final Progress Reports
The University of Arizona SRP Community Engagement Core (CEC) delivers community engaged-science to people impacted by mining to help them become active players in understanding and making informed decisions on health issues related to mining. In response to the Gold King Mine Spill, the CEC has trained Navajo community members to sample for metal(oid)s from water and sediment taken along the San Juan River. All samples obtained are being analyzed at the University of Arizona SRP supported Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants. The President and Vice-President of the Navajo Nation personally delivered these samples to the University of Arizona and the CEC in collaboration with the University of Arizona College of Public Health and were provided a lab tour and demonstration. The CEC also supported a visit by Navajo community members to participate on a University of Arizona panel which focused on their perspectives of the Gold King Mine spill. University of Arizona SRP investigators met with the community members to discuss their concerns and research questions. Consistent ongoing communication and engagement of communities impacted by the spill, has resulted in the CEC securing over $1 million in additional research funds to engage in research questions related to the impact of the Gold King Mine Spill on the Navajo Nation. Finally, the CEC has also been active in creating education mining modules for tribal community colleges and in engaging communities at selected Arizona Superfund sites to create oral histories for the sites.