Success! Uranium mining to be banned near Grand Canyon.

Posted on January 9, 2012 by gctrust

Ban on Uranium Claims to Protect Grand Canyon announced today

Please join the Grand Canyon Trust in celebrating the landmark decision to ban new uranium claims on more than one-million acres of public lands surrounding Grand Canyon National Park. Your support made it happen!

Action will stop future mines like Kanab North Mine on precipice of Kanab Creek leading to Grand Canyon

Today, Secretary of the Interior Salazar ordered a 20-year moratorium on thousands of new mining claims that threaten to industrialize watersheds, which drain directly into Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. The decision culminates a successful, four-year campaign that the Trust initiated in response to a surge in new mining activity as uranium prices began to soar in 2006.

We thank Secretary Salazar for his decision to protect one of America’s most iconic landmarks and we ask that you thank him too. Please call his office at 202-208-6291 and let him know you support the decision. You may also want to participate in National Parks Conservation Association’s action alert.

Grand Canyon Photo by NPS/Michael Quinn

The 20-year ban was achieved through an unprecedented and formidable coalition of tribal, business, and civic leaders, hunting, fishing, ranching, and conservation groups, water, wildlife, city, and county officials, Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva, and nearly 300,ooo individuals who commented favorably on the proposed moratorium. Congressmen Norm Dicks, James Moran, Edward Markey and Senator Jeff Bingaman were also instrumental.

The Trust deeply appreciates your unwavering support. Without our dedicated members and donors, none of this would be possible. We also applaud and thank all of our allies, as well as the Secretary of the Interior and this administration for their foresight and leadership.

Grand Canyon Hopi Point NPS/GCNP photo

While we celebrate this historic decision, the battle continues to secure a permanent ban through passage of the Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act. At risk are wildlife habitat, endangered species, springs, sacred sites, and established tourism businesses that produce nearly $1 billion in regional revenues each year. Decades of damage done during the last uranium boom have devastated the lives of Havasupai and Navajo people and are costing tax payers billions to treat polluted mine and mill sites. No remediation is possible for permanently polluted ground and surface waters in dozens of areas located within the Canyon and throughout the region.

The Grand Canyon Trust remains vigilant, ensuring that existing environmental laws are enforced on established uranium mines and that all due precaution is applied in protecting the Grand Canyon for future generations.

Click to read current news stories below:

Share
This entry was posted in Grand Canyon Issues, Native America Issues, Plateau-wide Issues. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.