Final report: No radiation exposure from uranium at Grand Canyon

PHOENIX — A final report on the discovery of uranium ore at the Grand Canyon National Park concluded there was no radiation exposure to employees or visitors.

The National Park Service and Department of the Interior started an investigation after uranium was found in the Museum Collection building at the South Rim during a 2018 safety audit.

The team surveyed the places where the three buckets of rock samples were stored and determined there was no residual contamination.

“When we started this investigation, we wanted to be absolutely sure we had all of the necessary experts at the table,” Michael May, chief of the NPS Office of Risk Management, said in a press release.

“After assembling the team and collecting our data, I am relieved to announce that our comprehensive review identified no health concerns with radiation exposure from the park’s uranium ore samples.”

According to the park, the area where the uranium was stored was separate from visitor areas. Tours in the area were by appointment only and drew about 1,000 people each year.

A preliminary report in March came to the same conclusion that no visitors or employees were at risk.

The NPS is working to finalize a corrective action plan to “strengthen the workplace safety culture” at the park, according to the agency’s website.

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