Activists delivered a petition with over 17,500 signatures to Governor Katie Hobbs, calling for the closure of the Pinyon Plain Mine.
Uranium mining poses significant health risks and threatens water sources critical to the Grand Canyon's ecosystem and local communities.
The governor’s office acknowledged receipt but has yet to take action on the petition.
Key quote:
“The safe thing to do, the prudent thing to do, is to avoid that risk altogether and close the mine.”
— Taylor McKinnon, director of the Center for Biological Diversity
Why this matters:
The Grand Canyon has long been a battleground for conservation efforts. Uranium mining, with its potential to contaminate water sources and disrupt ecosystems, adds a new layer of urgency to these efforts. The Havasupai Tribe, whose ancestral lands lie within the Grand Canyon, has been vocal about the threats posed to their health and way of life. Contaminated water sources could have devastating effects on both human populations and the diverse wildlife that call the canyon home.
The opening of the Pinyon Plain mine comes as the US seeks to boost domestic production of the mineral needed for nuclear energy and accelerate divesting from fossil fuels.
The push for more nuclear energy and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has spiked uranium prices, leading mines for the element to begin operating again in the U.S. despite long-term environmental and health impacts.
