Grand Canyon National Park brings people together. People from all over the world visit to share in the beauty of the eroded red walls, the flowing Colorado River, and the diverse wildlife. The park not only unifies people through the experience but also the several different histories that come together on the landscape, histories beginning with the 11 associated Tribal communities.
At the border of Grand Canyon National Park is Baaj Nwaavjo Itah Kukveni—Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. Within its boundaries is an active uranium mine, the Pinyon Plain mine. The uranium mine threatens the communities and interconnected waters of the Grand Canyon and could permanently pollute the aquifers that feed the Grand Canyon’s springs.
Urge Governor Hobbs and President Biden to close the Pinyon Plain Mine.
The surrounding landscapes are home to important natural resources and scarce water sources, as well as cultural and historical sites that hold deep significance for many Tribal Nations in the region.
Dear Governor Hobbs and President Biden,
I am writing with deep concern regarding the ongoing operations of the Pinyon Plain Mine within the boundaries of the Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni - Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. The Grand Canyon is one of the most iconic and culturally significant landscapes in history.
With the recent designation of the new national monument, several critical steps have been taken to ensure that the greater landscape and its scarce waters that feed the Grand Canyon’s springs and creeks, are protected for years to come. The mine threatens to permanently pollute the aquifers that feed the Grand Canyon’s springs and Havasu Creek, potentially bringing catastrophic consequences for the Havasupai Tribe, whose community relies on these waters, and for the broader and interconnected waters and wildlife habitat of the Grand Canyon.
While the new monument has been critical in protecting the area from uranium mining, which has already had devastating effects for Tribal and local communities, the Pinyon Plain Mine was permitted to move forward. The decades-long fight against the mine, led by Tribal Leaders from the Havasupai Tribe, Navajo Nation, and other communities, has come to an important crossroads. I am asking you to take action to halt the Pinyon Plain uranium mine operations and prevent the transportation of uranium through Tribal lands. It is of the utmost importance that we protect this landscape, including several sacred sites like the Red Butte Traditional Cultural Property.
I am calling on you to stand with Tribal leaders as well as environmental organizations and close the mine to demonstrate your conviction that no uranium should be allowed to contaminate the waters and communities of the Grand Canyon.
