… For decades, the [White Mesa uranium] mill has sparked debate over whether radioactive contamination threatens human health by getting into the water and the air. Concerns run especially deep in the White Mesa Ute Community. … State regulators and the company that owns the mill contend that any pollution associated with it is contained. That’s little consolation to nearby tribal members, who — aware of uranium’s deadly legacy across the Colorado Plateau — have raised questions about the potential spread of toxic waste. Many won’t drink the local water, relying on bottled water instead. Now the tribe’s concerns have taken on new urgency as the U.S. pushes to revive domestic uranium production. … The White Mesa Mill, built in 1980 near what is now Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah, is a focal point of this latest uranium boom.

Other water pollution news:

• Arizona Public Media: Conservation group decries Oro Valley’s plan to use reclaimed wastewater to refill the town’s landmark pond
• The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.): Opinion: State Legislature must close loopholes to protect Bay Area’s air and water