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Federal govt confident of legal win in keeping new uranium mining from Grand Canyon

Sandy Bahr, director of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club aid the mining industry is used to getting its way when it comes to public lands, and she believes that is one reason for Monday’s lawsuit. “The mining industry seems to forget that these are public
lands, not their lands,” she said. “There are more important things than their short–term profits – namely the Grand Canyon.”

Environmentalists also said they do not believe the department’s environmental analysis will be found to be flawed as it spent more than two years on research, analysis and review of “hundreds of thousands of comments in support of the withdrawal,”

Salazar confident uranium-mining ban will withstand legal challenge By SALVADOR RODRIGUEZ Cronkite News, 28 Feb 12, WASHINGTON – Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Tuesday he is confident a 20–year ban on uranium mining near the Grand Canyon will hold up to an industry lawsuit challenging the January withdrawal of the land by federal officials.

Salazar’s comments came one day after the National Mining Association
and the Nuclear Energy Institute filed suit U.S. District Court in Arizona, arguing that the Department of the Interior cannot withdraw more than 5,000 acres of land at a time under the law it cited.

But Salazar said prohibiting uranium mining on a million acres of
public land near the natural landmark was the right decision and a
legally defensible decision.

“I feel very confident in our decision, and I think it’ll withstand
any legal challenge that is being made,” he said in comments after
addressing the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Uranium mining near the Grand Canyon could impact the Colorado River,
and the 20–year ban “will allow us to develop the science relative to
uranium mining,” he said.

“That’s important for the 30–million–plus people who depend on the
water supply from the Colorado River,” Salazar said……
environmentalists came to the defense of the ban and said Tuesday they
were glad to hear of Salazar’s confidence that it will hold up.

“We’ve always thought that this was something the Department of the
Interior could do and should do,” said Sandy Bahr, director of the
Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club. “So it’s good to know that
the secretary is confident in it and those lands will be protected.”

Bahr said the mining industry is used to getting its way when it comes
to public lands, and she believes that is one reason for Monday’s
lawsuit.

“The mining industry seems to forget that these are public lands, not
their lands,” she said. “There are more important things than their
short–term profits – namely the Grand Canyon.”

Environmentalists also said they do not believe the department’s
environmental analysis will be found to be flawed as it spent more
than two years on research, analysis and review of “hundreds of
thousands of comments in support of the withdrawal,” Bahr said.

Uranium mining could lead to groundwater pollution, damage to cultural
resources that are important to tribes and harm to wildlife, said Ted
Zukoski, staff attorney for Earthjustice.
http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2012/02/salazar-confident-uranium-mining-ban-will-withstand-legal-challenge/

February 29, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA