Destructive Uranium Mining Approved in the Grand Canyon

In one of the biggest blows to the environment since President Obama took office, the Bureau of Land Management just authorized new uranium exploration permits in land around the Grand Canyon. Bush-era Interior Secretary Dick Kempthorne overrode an emergency Congressional resolution attempting to stop these uranium permits last year, and the BLM’s current action signifies that new Interior Secretary Ken Salazar may be following suit.

The New York Times reports:

According to documents (pdf) released yesterday by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Grand Canyon Trust, BLM on April 27 authorized Quaterra Alaska Inc. to conduct eight uranium mine exploration operations at five separate projects north of Grand Canyon National Park and west of the Kaibab Plateau.

“Our understanding is that exploration can begin immediately,” said Taylor McKinnon, director of CBD’s public lands program.

We can’t let this uranium mining destroy the Grand Canyon! The mining would threaten the drinking water for 30 million people living in the western United States and could devastate tourism, which generates more than half a billion dollars for the economy.

You can do something about it; Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona) introduced the Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act, which would ban mining near the precious park. Urge your Representative to take action today, before the park and its surrounding water is contaminated by uranium mining!

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Ruth R.

4:09PM PDT on Sep 21, 2010

LETS KEEP STOPPING URANIUM MINES, AND
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.
THEY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE OF TOO MANY EARLY DEATHS.
THEY ARE NOT COST EFFECTIVE DUE TO THE HEALTH BILLS, WATER CONTAMINATION, AND DESTRUCTION OF THE LAND.
JESUS SON OF GOD, GOD THE FATHER, HOLY SPIRIT, HEAR MY ABOVE STATEMENT, AND ALSO CONTINUE TO RALLY THE PEOPLE TO PETITION AND DO SIT IN'S AS NECESSARY.
HEAR THE HEART CRY OF THE SILENT OPPRESSED ACROSS THE AMERICAS AND AROUND THE WORLD.

send a green star

4:46PM PDT on Jun 9, 2010

Do you know how many uranium mines, and nuclear power plants are in the USA?
We need to keep stopping uranium mines.

Jeffrey W.

10:44AM PDT on May 13, 2009

By the way, I particularly enjoyed the hysterical and totally baseless fear-mongering about how this "would threaten the drinking water for 30 million people living in the western United States and could devastate tourism".

I wish we had those laughing dude emoticons here, because this sort of nonsense stands in need of public derision.

10:41AM PDT on May 13, 2009

About time. We need the uranium.

8:07PM PDT on May 11, 2009

Another one I just can't believe.

Lily K.

6:46PM PDT on May 11, 2009

I love that Joni Mitchel song Yellow Taxi. She got it way back then in the 70's and has anything changed?

6:43PM PDT on May 11, 2009

Is there NO where sacred & safe from mans greed. The Obama administration is no different to any other really. He has made promises of course to get into Govt. everyone does. We might be worse off with McCain but this proves it, his admin. will not please the masses as was hoped because BIG BUSINESS controls the Govt. The same ones maybe who brought the world to their knees with the financial crisis, the banks who are now being bailed out with taxpayers money. Think about it. OBAMA will do what he is told he is a figure head.

Rebecca D.

2:52PM PDT on May 11, 2009

pretty soon we will not have and peaceful beautiful places left in this world,someone is always taking them away for mining and other projects...enough is enough...

SALONIDIS T.

9:19AM PDT on May 11, 2009

Unfortunately, if Governments of G20 don't agree to stop all those Uranium and Oil Idiots, then must people from all over the world to stop them by FORCE!!! It seems that this is the ONLY WAY

9:16AM PDT on May 11, 2009

Although I don't agree in using guns against anybody