Sept. 25, 2010 12:00 AM
This is big-game season, and today is National Public Lands Day. As a hunter, this is a reminder of my responsibility to help to protect wildlife habitat on our public lands.
This stewardship responsibility means making our voices heard on threats to our hunting and fishing heritage, and one of the threats that concerns me right now is uranium mining.
Arizonans have hunted elk, mule deer, and other wildlife on public lands next to the Grand Canyon for generations, but uranium mining operations can cause pollution, noisy truck traffic, and other significant threats to that habitat.
I appreciate the commonsense approach by U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in calling a timeout on new uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. He should extend that moratorium, so we can learn more about the
risks and ensure that our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy
Arizona's sporting heritage.
Tom Mackin,
Mesa
The writer is president of the Arizona Wildlife Federation.
Read more:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2010/09/25/20100925satlets254.html
