Knowing something about the Apaches' feelings concerning what nuclear testing
has done to areas of New Mexico, we have been curious as to what is going on
and took it upon ourselves to ask around about that situation when we visited
that reservation recently.
Noone at Mescalero is particularly anxious to talk about this question, and
it is our impression that there has probably been some dissension among them
about the study. We were able, however, to talk to two members of the tribal
council and expressed our interest in this problem. In both cases, the whole
thing was shrugged off as "just a study." Neither seemed to think there was
anything to worry about and that nothing definitive was going to happen as a
result of the study.
It is only our interpretation, but it seems likely to us that the tribe has
undertaken this study themselves, feeling that someone was going to do it
eventually, rather than leave it to outside "experts" to make such a determi-
nation for them. Certainly the tribe is well enough off not to have any great
need of the money or jobs promised by such a project. And it may be well to
remember that a feasibility study is, by definition, designed to determine
the practicability of undertaking a given project under a given set of
circumstances and with the resources at hand. The results do not obligate
anyone to do anything.
--Liz
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Elizabeth Pollard Bitnet: uahebp01@uahvax1
Systems Librarian Internet: uahebp01@asnuah.asn.net
Univ. of Ala./Huntsville Compuserve: 72457,1560
Huntsville, AL 35899 Phone: (205) 895-6313
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