Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Friday 15 december 2017

Court keeps ban on new mining claims around Grand Canyon

By FELICIA FONSECA long-term effects of the
Associated Press groundwater contamina-
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A tion,” she said. “The Grand
U.S. appeals court has kept Canyon should be protect-
in place an Obama-era ed for all of humanity and
ban on new mining claims the residents of the state of
around the Grand Can- Arizona.”
yon, but a review under Roger Clark of the Flag-
the Trump administration is staff-based Grand Canyon
putting it in jeopardy. Trust said he’s relieved the
The decision Tuesday by Interior secretary’s author-
the 9th U.S. Circuit Court ity to set aside land has
of Appeals comes as a been upheld but is uneasy
U.S. House committee about the possibility of the
heard testimony on ac- Trump administration over-
cess to minerals on public turning it without much
lands and dependence hope of an appeal.
on foreign imports. The U.S. Weeks ago, the Forest
Forest Service under Presi- Service proposed review-
dent Donald Trump has This Feb. 22, 2005, file photo shows the North Rim of Grand Canyon in Arizona. ing the 20-year ban after
proposed reviewing the Associated Press Trump issued an executive
20-year ban on new min- order for federal agencies
ing north and south of the The Federal Land Policy “Unwise and unwarranted park visited by more than 5 to eliminate restrictions
Grand Canyon. and Management Act mineral withdrawals are million people a year. The on energy production. An
Former President Barack gives the head of the Inte- bad public policy that ig- U.S. Geological Survey has agency spokeswoman, Ba-
Obama’s Interior secretary rior Department authority nore the vast sectors of found some water sources bete Anderson, said no ac-
made more than 1 million to withdraw 5,000 or more our economy that depend in the region are contami- tion has been taken since.
acres outside Grand Can- acres from mining but not upon a reliable and secure nated with arsenic and In a separate but related
yon National Park off lim- for longer than 20 years supply chain of minerals uranium but says more in- ruling Tuesday, the 9th Cir-
its to new mining claims in without congressional ap- and metals,” Katie Swee- formation is needed to de- cuit rejected a challenge
2012. It didn’t affect the proval. ney, a senior vice presi- termine the extent. to a uranium mine south
roughly 3,000 mining claims The 9th Circuit said the dent and general counsel Carletta Tilousi, a council- of the Grand Canyon but
that existed before it went decision to implement the for the association, said at woman on the Havasu- within the area where new
into effect, which federal ban carefully balanced the House Committee on pai reservation deep in a claims are prohibited.
officials say could result in the potential economic Natural Resources hearing. gorge off the Grand Can- The Forest Service found
less than a dozen mines. benefits of mining against Luke Popovich, a spokes- yon that’s accessible by in 2012 that Energy Fuels
The area is rich in high- possible risks to environ- man for the association foot, mule or helicopter Inc. had a valid operations
grade uranium ore, and mental and cultural re- said, “It is now time for the and known for its blue- plan for its Canyon Mine
the mining industry, Re- sources and did not violate Congress and the admin- green waterfalls, said an and had shown sufficient
publicans in Congress and federal laws. istration, working with the environmental catastro- quality and quantity of
some counties in Arizona The National Mining As- impacted states, to re- phe easily could wipe out uranium ore to mine at the
and Utah said cutting off sociation, among those evaluate whether the with- the roughly 775 tribal mem- site. The company’s claims
access eliminates hun- challenging the ban, said drawal was justified based bers who live there. predated the ban.Ener-
dreds of jobs in a remote it was disappointed with on the scientific, techni- She urged the congressio- gy Fuels spokesman Cur-
area and puts the nation’s the ruling and is exploring cal and socio-economic nal committee to maintain tis Moore said more work
security at risk. Uranium its options. It can ask for a facts.”Conservationists protections. needs to be done and no
was discovered there in new hearing in the 9th Cir- say the ban is crucial for “There are too many risks decision has been made
the late 1940s and is used cuit or appeal to the U.S. protecting water and the and many unanswered on when to start mining
in nuclear power plants. Supreme Court. Grand Canyon, a national questions pertaining to the operations.q