Posted: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 5:00 am
To the editor:
We would like to express our appreciation to Mayor Presler, Vice Mayor Barotz, and Councilmembers Babbott, Brewster, Evans, and White, for adopting an official resolution supporting protection of approximately one million acres of public lands surrounding Grand Canyon National Park from uranium mining for 20 years, the maximum allowed administratively.
This action demonstrates the Council's understanding that sustaining the City's economy requires maintaining healthy ecosystems, clean water and air, and citizen safety.
The Grand Canyon is a U.N. World Heritage Site and a National Treasure, drawing visitors from around the world and supporting 12,000 regional jobs.
Groundwater below proposed mine sites supports seeps and springs used by people and wildlife.
Mining companies cannot guarantee that their activities won't contaminate aquifers or release uranium dust into the air.
The routes we travel daily: Routes 89, I-40, and 64, will be shared with trucks carrying radioactive ore.
Mining around Grand Canyon risks our tourism industry. And, mining practices will harm human health and safety as we've seen happen to so many of our neighbors on the Navajo Nation.
Soon, a public comment period will give us all an opportunity express our support for the proposed withdrawal to protect these lands. In the meantime, thank you, City of Flagstaff!
ALICYN GITLIN, Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter
ROGER CLARK, Grand Canyon Trust
TAYLOR MCKINNON, Center for Biological Diversity
Read more:
http://www.azdailysun.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_f0bb09d8-6dd2-5327-9c74-0a4fa4e2b768.html
