Please call the White House at 202-456-1414 before October 28 to urge that Secretary Salazar’s moratorium on new uranium claims be finalized as soon as possible.
Dear Friends of the Grand Canyon:
We are nearing an important landmark decision by Secretary of the Interior to order a 20-year ban new uranium mining claims within the Kanab Creek, Havasu Creek, and House Rock Valley watersheds that drain directly into the Grand Canyon. Secretary Salazar announced in July that his “preferred alternative” is to prohibit new claims on more than one million acres of BLM and USFS land surrounding the Canyon. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) is due out at the end of this month. The Record of Decision will finalize the ban 30 days after the FEIS is released.
In August, Arizona congressmen Paul Gosar, Jeff Flake, and other legislators introduced riders to the appropriations bill to strip Secretary Salazar’s authority to order the ban and to gut National Park Service authority to reduce air tour noise over the Canyon. Fortunately, an effective response blocked those assaults (please see Grand Canyon Under Siege).
On Oct. 19, Senators McCain, Hatch, and Lee introduced the Northern Arizona Mining Continuity Act in the senate to once again block the Secretary’s ban on new uranium claims (please see in EE News, Senator McCain’s press release, and video of the press conference).
Although McCain’s bill is unlikely to be passed, it is extremely important that the Obama administration hears overwhelming public support for the 20-year ban to protect the Grand Canyon.
Please call the White House at 202-456-1414 before October 28 to urge that Secretary Salazar’s moratorium on new uranium claims be finalized as soon as possible.
