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On July 16th 1979, the largest by volume radioactive spill in US history took place in Church Rock (Kinłitsosinil), which is located in the southeastern “checkerboard area” of the Navajo Nation (Diné Bikéyah) and northwestern New Mexico. Due to a breach in the former United Nuclear Corporation’s uranium mill tailings dam, an estimated ninety-four (~94) million gallons of radioactive, toxic, and highly acidic effluent spilled into the Puerco River (Brugge et al. 2002; SRIC 2009).

The Church Rock Uranium Mill Tailings Spill marked the disastrous beginning of the end for the uranium mining industry in the Navajo Nation and New Mexico. Ironically, the spill occurred on the very same day as an event 34 years prior that marked the beginning of the uranium boom and the dawn of the atomic age: the Trinity Test of July 16th 1945, “the day the sun rose twice.” (Szasz 1984) Unlike the world’s first nuclear explosion in southern New Mexico, the Church Rock mill spill remains relatively underreported and has not yet registered at a national scale of collective memory.

The policy is the 9/11 Health and Compensation act, it aims to extend and improve protection and servies to individuals directly affected by 9/11. It aims to provide continuing funding for health and promises to treat those affected  by9/11. It also reinstates a fund for those who have suffered injuries or death as a result of 9.11 or what happened afterwards. To collect compensation for injury.

The policy was drafted by senator Bob Hernadez and Carolyn Maloney as well as 9.11 victims and survivors and for Mr. Zadragra whose death is considered the 'first' death as a direct cause of 9.11. Others who drafted the bill was senators Schuner, with members of Congres Nalder and King and the president of the interantional association of fighter fighters Harold Schittgerer.

The policy applies to victims, first responders (fire,police and EMS) that are/were directly affected by the events of 9/11.

The policy was an amendment of an earlier policy that guarenteed compensation and healthcare to those affected by 9/11. This previous bill, however would stop providing help in Fall 2016. An amendment to reauthorize the bill was posed in 2015 and the bill was renewed and made permenant to remember 9.11. The originial policy had a difficult time getting passed due to an uneven vote in congress and negative opinions. 

The policy addresses matters of public health because it ensures people who were affected by 9.11 get the help and support they need. It provides money and healthcare to those who were hurt physically or mentally by the attack on the world trade center. The act itself identifies possible issues ( a braod spectrum) that could be a driect fault of the attack, it also offers a board if the issue is not listed- to be treated.

The policy addresses vulnerable populations because it does not discriminate. It offers to help anyone in the NYC area that was at the attacks or surrounding them. It does not see ethnicity or economic backround, only to help those in need; both citizens and helping at the twin towers.

The policy has been recieved positively by the public. Many people believe remembering 9/11 is more than a memory. It is something so drastic that affected the entire country. So everyone felt it needed to be enacted into law. The public was estatic about continuing support for innocent people who lost their lives due to the actions of others.

The implications that this policy has on first responders and others is that the whole country supports the cause of those who fight to protect the rights of others in a time of need. It foreshadows that if something drastic was to happen again, that those who work to save others would get the needed recognition.