Arizona Trout Unlimited Comments on 20 Year Uranium Mining Moratorium Near Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona Trout Unlimited State Council supports Alternative B — withdrawal of 1,010,776 acres of federal locatable mineral estate be withdrawn for 20 years from operation of the Mining Law, subject to valid existing rights. On mining claims where valid existing rights are determined to exist, drilling and mining activities would continue to be processed by the BLM or the Forest Service.
The Colorado River, which flows through the Grand Canyon, is a critical water resource for the inhabitants of the desert southwest. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that uranium exposure through drinking water or eating fish could lead to bone cancer and impaired kidney function.
Historically, areas mined for uranium have had various problems, including watershed pollution. Some of these known uranium mining issues have already occurred in or near the Park, including:
- Abandoned mining operations within the boundary of the Park continue to pollute Horn Creek.
- In 1984, flash flooding carried tons of uranium ore from six existing mines north of the Park down Kanab Creek and into the Park creating pollution impacts on creeks and tributaries of the Colorado River.
- Increased uranium exploration has led to habitat fragmentation and erosion issues surrounding the Park.
- Mining in and near the Park has already left damage, including open pits, which cannot be remediated.
Besides being a critical water resource for inhabitants of the desert southwest, the Colorado River is home to a unique fishery that contains many native species including some which are threatened and endangered. Additionally 15 miles of the upper river below Glen Canyon Dam is a world renowned trout fishing destination. These fisheries offer tourism opportunities and species diversity for the Park. Uranium mining poses a significant threat to the viability of these fish populations.
Trout Unlimited has a storied history of supporting cold water fisheries in Arizona and throughout North America. Mining uranium adjacent to the Park creates an unsettling precedent. If mining is permitted next to one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the fragile watersheds of Glacier, North Cascades and Yellowstone National Parks would be next.
It is imperative that sound science and management practices be fully examined prior to any uranium mining operations. The scars left behind by uranium mining will not heal in a hundred lifetimes, and the risk to the Colorado River is significant. As a result, Arizona Trout Unlimited opposes new uranium mining operations in and adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park without the due diligence that a 20 year moratorium on uranium mining provides as outlined by Alternative B.
