appropriation; uranium monitoring; mine inspector

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Uranium Monitoring and Mine Inspector Funding

This bill provides $50,000 for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to monitor uranium contamination in the state.

What This Bill Does

• Provides $50,000 from the state's budget to ADEQ for monitoring uranium contamination.
• Requires ADEQ to establish a statewide registry and program to track potential uranium contamination.
• Directs ADEQ to work with tribal epidemiology centers to implement the monitoring program.
• Asks ADEQ to report findings and recommendations by December 31, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
• Tribal epidemiology centers in Arizona
• Residents potentially affected by uranium contamination

Terms To Know

Uranium Contamination

Radioactive pollution from the element uranium that can harm human health and the environment.

Statewide Registry

A database or list maintained by ADEQ to track potential areas of uranium contamination across Arizona.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the $50,000 is not enough for monitoring.
• It's unclear how many tribal health centers will be involved in the program.

Official Summary Text

HB2889 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2889

appropriation;
uranium monitoring; mine inspector

Purpose

Appropriates
$50,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2027 to the Arizona
Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to monitor uranium contamination.
Requires ADEQ to establish a statewide registry and monitoring program for
potential uranium contamination in Arizona, and partner with tribal
epidemiology centers for implementation.

Background

Uranium is a
naturally occurring radioactive element that can be released into the
environment through environmental processes or by industries involved in
uranium mining, milling and processing. Uranium can enter the human body from
the air, water, food or from dermal contact. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has established a maximum contaminant level of 0.03 mg/L and set a
maximum contaminant level goal of no uranium in drinking water (
CDC
).

The Director of
ADEQ must maintain a statewide database of groundwater and soils sampled for
pollutants. All agencies must submit to the Director of ADEQ, in a timely
manner, the results of any groundwater or soils sampling for pollutants and the
results of any groundwater or soils sampling that detect any pollutants (
A.R.S.
� 49-225
).

H.B. 2889
appropriates $50,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADEQ.

Provisions

1.

Appropriates
$50,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADEQ to monitor uranium contamination.

2.

Requires
ADEQ to:

a)

use the monies to fund soil, water and home testing for potential
uranium contamination;

b)

establish a statewide registry and monitoring program for potential
uranium contamination in Arizona;

c)

partner with tribal epidemiology centers to implement the registry and
monitoring program; and

d)

submit
a report of finding and recommendations by December 31, 2027, to the Governor,
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
provide a copy to the Secretary of State.

3.

Exempts the appropriation from lapsing.

4.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

March 20, 2026

SB/SF/hk

Current Bill Text

HB2889 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

appropriation;
uranium monitoring; mine inspector

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2889

AN
ACT

appropriating monies to the state mine
inspector.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section
1.
1.
Appropriation; department of environmental quality; uranium
contamination; monitoring program; report; exemption

A. The sum of
$50,000
is appropriated from the state
general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the
department
of environmental quality to monitor uranium contamination. The
department of environmental quality shall use the monies to
fund soil, water and home testing for potential uranium contamination.

B. The
department of environmental quality shall establish a
statewide registry and monitoring program for potential uranium contamination
in this state. The
department of
environmental quality shall partner with tribal epidemiology centers to
implement the registry and monitoring program.

C. On or before December
31,
2027, the
department
of environmental quality shall submit a report of findings and recommendations
to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
representatives and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of
state.

D. The appropriation made
in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section
35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.