Left in the dust: The victims of mill tailings exposure and uranium in Monticello, Utah

Between 1942 and 1960, Monticello was home to a government-owned uranium mill. Four large uranium tailings piles were left at the south end of town until the mid-1990s. Residents, especially the Victims of Mill Tailings Exposure, contend that Monticellans experience elevated rates of cancer and other health problems due to their exposure to the mill and its tailings, though government scientists continue to study their claims. The thesis analyzes findings from in-depth interviews, documentary analysis, responses to VMTE's health surveys, and meetings with state-level government representatives. Four emergent themes were uncovered including: the connection between the economy and uranium; faltering trust in government; precarious trust in government scientists; and a worldview shift among members of the VMTE. These four themes are analyzed using the treadmills of production and destruction. Alternatives to the utilitarian tenet of the "greater good" are also examined regarding uranium use and future energy policy.