The U.S. House voted today to approve a bill that would prohibit new uranium mines on about 1 million acres around the Grand Canyon, making permanent a ban put in place in 2012. The vote of 236-185 was nearly all along party lines.
"For the Navajo people, this measure is more than just a political battle or a fight over differing views, it is a fight for life," said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer in a statement provided to The Arizona Republic. "It’s a fight to bring closure to a long and devastating history of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation."
“While Americans are still holding the bag from the last time the government prioritized uranium mining, research has underscored the erratic nature of groundwater flow in this region," said Amber Reimondo, energy program director of the Grand Canyon Trust, which supports the bill...