A generational battle: How a tribe’s concern over mining contamination on ancestral homelands brought Biden to Arizona
Oct 27, 2023
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Uranium mining in Arizona's Grand Canyon region has caused concerns about water contamination for the Havasupai people. President Biden's proclamation designating ancestral lands as the Bajnawacho Ita Kukvini brings recognition and emotional significance. The chapter explores the environmental consequences and legal battles surrounding uranium mining. It also discusses the complexities of groundwater management, tribal rights, and economic development in Arizona.
President Joe Biden designated the Batch Noav Joe Itaku Uveni ancestral footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, safeguarding nearly 1 million acres of public land and protecting sacred ancestral land and preventing further contamination of groundwater.
The controversy surrounding uranium mining in the Grand Canyon region raises valid concerns about the risks of groundwater contamination, including arsenic, due to the complexity and limited knowledge of the aquifer system.
Deep dives
Designation Provides Safeguards for Ancestral Land and Prevents Mining Claims
In a move to protect sacred ancestral land and prevent new mining claims, President Joe Biden designated the Batch Noav Joe Itaku Uveni ancestral footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. This measure safeguards nearly 1 million acres of public land, including the Havasupa tribe's sacred ancestral land and Red Butte, their birthplace. This designation is a crucial step in preserving the land that has been a center of uranium production for years and preventing further contamination of groundwater.
The Battle Over Pinyon Plain Mine and its Proximity to Red Butte
The Havasupa people have been engaged in legal battles to protect their sacred land from the uranium mine, Pinyon Plain Mine. Located just three miles away from Red Butte, the mine's operations pose a threat to the groundwater and the environmental integrity of the area. Despite the tribal opposition and legal efforts, the mine continues to operate with significant concerns about groundwater contamination.
Controversies Surrounding Uranium Mining and Groundwater Protection
The controversy surrounding uranium mining in the Grand Canyon region extends beyond the Havasupa tribe's concerns. While studies have shown that existing mines have not caused widespread groundwater contamination, the complexity of the aquifer system and the lack of understanding about interconnectedness raise valid concerns. Environmental groups and tribal members argue that the risks associated with uranium mining, including arsenic contamination, should not be underestimated, especially given the limited knowledge of groundwater systems in the region.
For people who visit or call Grand Canyon National Park home, the water issues mainly come around moving water up to the rim where the homes, hotels, and other businesses sit. But, head downstream to one of the most remote tribal nations in America, and the water issues are very different. The Havasupai people's land sits in the canyon, surrounded on all sides by the park. They're not worried about pumping the water up. Their worries are about what trickles down. Upstream from them sits an area where uranium mining was once plentiful. And that atomic-age history is causing concerns about water quality.
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