Written by Nico Lorenzen, Wild Arizona Conservation and Wildlife Associate.

In the latest attack on our public lands, last week Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09) introduced two separate Bills targeting Arizona national monuments. Together, both Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon and Ironwood Forest National Monuments would have their status removed should these heinous bills get passed. This is a broadly unpopular move with 80% of Arizonans in favor of these national monuments. 

Removing National Monument status would allow for rapid degradation of these natural treasures. In Ironwood Forest, development could imperil populations of saguaro, stands of ironwood trees and rare elephant trees along with the multitude of endemic wildlife that gives the region its character.

Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni is sacred land to at least 12 tribes and protects the greater Grand Canyon Ecoregion, including its ponderosa stands, majestic canyons, springs and the condors that soar overhead. Prior to the establishment of the monument there were 600 uranium mining claims, many within 5 miles of the rim of the Grand Canyon. Without protection, new mines could pump away springs and the toxic tailings from mining could poison the Colorado River, a river that provides water to over 40 million people. 

A Ray of Hope?
In a welcome development, a bipartisan group of 20 legislators (10 Democrats and 10 Republicans) came together to form the Public Lands Caucus. The same legislators, namely Representatives Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) have proposed the Public Lands in Public Hands Act. The bill would stop the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from selling public land greater than 300 acres or contiguous with public land areas greater than that size. Although this bill in no way absolves the other attempts to sell off, weaken or harm our public lands, it shows that prescient legislation would take heed of the overwhelming support of public lands among the American people and work to strengthen them, not weaken them.

What can you do? 
Celebrate our public lands! And… write your legislator (use our petition). Go for a hike, a ride, or any way you like to be outside. Take a photo, post it, tell your friends. And tell your legislator what these majestic places mean to you. Maybe you’ll catch us and the Wild Stew Crew out there!

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The post environmental groups join tribes to protest Northern AZ uranium mine appeared first on Wild Arizona.

(Article reprinted from Inside Climate News)

PHOENIX—Members of environmental groups stood together in the lobby of the Arizona State Capitol Executive Tower late last month to deliver a petition to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, requesting that she stop uranium mining activities near the Grand Canyon National Park. The Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, National Parks Conservation Association, Wild Arizona, Chispa Arizona and Haul No!, a group formed to fight the mining and transport of uranium, delivered a petition with more than 17,500 signatures to the governor. They are seeking closure of the Pinyon Plain Mine, located less than 10 miles from the Grand Canyon. It is inside the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni—Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, which President Joe Biden established in August 2023. The removal of uranium ore from the mine started in late December. Although the designation prohibits new mining claims and development, it allows prior claims with valid existing rights like Pinyon Plain to continue their operations. Energy Fuels Resources owns the mine, which is approximately 17 acres, and operates it on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. “This mine threatens to pollute the groundwater that feeds the seeps and springs in Grand Canyon, supporting plants, animals and people,” the petition states. People can develop respiratory disease and toxicity in the kidneys due to uranium exposure, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. There are more than 500 abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation, and the tribe continues to confront the ramifications of mining activities on tribal members and the environment. This includes advocating for federal money to clean up abandoned mines and compensation for former mine workers. No one from Hobbs’ office met the group or accepted the written requests in person. Instead, the activists left the petition, the groups’ latest action attempting to get the Democratic governor’s attention, with the executive receptionist on the first floor. In January, the groups sent a letter to Hobbs urging her to revisit permits issued for Pinyon Plain Mine and seeking her help closing it. They said she has not responded to the letter. A spokesperson with the governor’s office confirmed on July 11 that the petition was received.

“Gov. Hobbs will always put the health and safety of everyday Arizonans first. Pinyon Plain is one of the most closely regulated mines in the country, with an extremely stringent permit,” Liliana Soto, press secretary for the governor, said in a statement. Energy Fuels Resources President and CEO Mark Chalmers said groups opposing the mine failed to prove their claims about the permitting process in court and are now conducting a “public disinformation campaign.” “The Pinyon Plain Mine has been studied extensively for more than 30 years, with input from federal and state agencies, regulatory bodies and tribal stakeholders resulting in the issuance of all required permits for the mine,” Chalmers said in a written statement. “Unfortunately, this smear campaign is designed to scare local and Indigenous communities by spreading misinformation and innuendo,” he said. “We are proud of the Pinyon Plain Mine and its role in reducing reliance on bad actors like Russia for the fuel that powers one of our best sources of carbon-free electricity.” Vania Guevara is the advocacy and political director with Chispa Arizona, a program under the League of Conservation Voters that is dedicated to increasing Latinx voices in policies that address climate change and the environment. Guevara said it is urgent for Hobbs to address uranium mining because it threatens the health and safety of Indigenous communities. A dozen tribes have ancestral, ceremonial and traditional connections to the region, including the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Pueblo of Zuni and the Colorado River Indian Tribes. Chispa Arizona helped collect signatures as part of its support of protections for the Grand Canyon. Its work includes organizing camping trips to the canyon for Maricopa County residents. “Many of our community members don’t have the resources to camp or get up there,” Guevara said. “So, it’s something that we’re really passionate about, having access to public lands.” During the petition delivery, Guevara was among those who held banners inside the tower’s lobby stating, “Shut down Pinyon Plain Uranium Mine,” along with an illustration of a ram skull with a radiation symbol, or trefoil, on its forehead. “We support clean energy transition, but we never want it to be at the expense of the Earth, the environment or our Indigenous communities who are first and directly impacted,” she said.

Pinyon Plain Mine is situated above the Redwall-Muav Aquifer, the source of drinking water for the village of Supai on the Havasupai tribal land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The aquifer also feeds springs in the canyon. The mine is at the foot of Red Butte, a prominent peak sacred to the Havasupai. “Those springs and streams are incredibly important to people and biodiversity, endangered species, the Havasupai Tribe, and neither industry nor regulators can ensure that uranium mining won’t permanently damage that water,” said Taylor McKinnon, the Center for Biological Diversity’s Southwest Director. “The safe thing to do, the prudent thing to do, is to avoid that risk altogether and close the mine. Permanently harming the Grand Canyon’s aquifers and seeps and springs is not a risk that’s worth taking,” he added. “We need the governor to act.” Although the mine is on federal public land, Carletta Tilousi, who is Havasupai, said Hobbs’ role as governor is significant in the effort to end Pinyon Plain because she oversees the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, which administers the state’s environmental laws, and appoints that agency’s director.

Additionally, the department shares regulatory responsibility for certain federal programs delegated by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the Arizona Secretary of State. This regulatory responsibility includes issuing air and water quality permits for Pinyon Plain Mine. “ADEQ performs regular and thorough inspections of the mine, working closely with local and county partners, and stands ready to take appropriate action if violations are found,” Soto said in the statement from Hobbs’ office. “The state will also continually evaluate our procedures and safety requirements to ensure the mine is operating in a way that keeps our communities safe now and into the future.” The Havasupai Tribal Council stated in January that they remain opposed to uranium mining in and around their tribal lands and the Grand Canyon. “We feel that she needs to look deeper into what’s happening and what permits are being given to which companies,” Tilousi said. “These mining companies aren’t benefiting us at all. I don’t think they support anything in the state of Arizona. They just mine and leave.” Because of increased pricing for uranium and support for nuclear energy to help address climate change, Energy Fuels Resources began extracting uranium ore last year at Pinyon Plain and two mines in eastern Utah. The company is preparing two more mines for production in Colorado and Wyoming this year, it announced in a news release in December.

“The Pinyon Plain Mine is a small mine that will play a big role in providing domestically sourced uranium—the naturally occurring element that fuels safe, reliable and carbon-free nuclear energy,” Chalmers said. He added that nuclear accounts for approximately one-third of the electricity used by Arizona residents to power homes, schools, businesses and electric vehicles. Energy Fuels Resources plans to start hauling ore from the three operating mines to its White Mesa Mill near Blanding, Utah, where it will be stockpiled until processing begins in 2025. Transporting the ore is another issue for Tilousi, who is a member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. “My concern is the safety of the people on that road,” she said. “What happens when there’s a spill or a wreck or an accident? Who’s going to clean it up?” Members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe oppose the transportation plan because several members live in the White Mesa community, which is adjacent to the mill site, while leaders and members of the Navajo Nation oppose the route because it crosses the tribe’s land. Former tribal President Ben Shelly and the 22nd Navajo Nation Council enacted a law in 2012 that prohibits transporting uranium and other radioactive materials across the Navajo Nation unless it relates to the cleanup of past activities related to uranium mining and milling sites on the tribe’s land.

“What happens when there’s a spill or a wreck or an accident? Who’s going to clean it up?”

“The Navajo Nation has the right to exclude nonmembers and to condition their entry onto Navajo Nation lands and has the independent sovereign right and duty to protect the health, welfare and safety of the Navajo Nation and its citizens,” the tribal law states. Energy Fuels Resources is authorized to use two routes that travel on state and federal highways, including those on Navajo land, according to Kaibab National Forest’s website. The roads are under the authority of the Arizona Department of Transportation, and the agency is not bound to comply with the tribe’s law from 2012. In April, the Navajo Nation Council and tribal President Buu Nygren reiterated the tribe’s stance against uranium mining and associated activities. The resolution signed by Nygren includes a letter written by him and tribal council Speaker Crystalyne Curley to Biden that asks the president to use his executive authority to stop the planned transportation across the tribe’s land before it starts. “Furthermore, we implore you to publicly support a legislative solution that would reinforce the sovereignty of tribal nations, enabling us to enforce our laws and protect our people,” Nygren and Curley wrote in the letter. They also reminded Biden that Navajo leaders were “encouraged” by the establishment of Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni national monument. “Our support for the monument reaffirmed our stance against the transportation of uranium across Navajo lands, which not only endangers our communities but also contradicts our sovereign rights to enforce our laws and protect our territory,” the tribal leaders wrote. In a news release on July 10, Nygren repeated the tribe’s position opposing trucks using roads on the Navajo Nation to deliver uranium to Utah.

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News Release June 27, 2024

Phoenix, AZ  – Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, National Parks Conservation Association, Wild Arizona, Chispa Arizona, and HaulNo!, as well as Havasupai Tribal members, delivered more than 17,000 petition signatures to Governor Katie Hobbs today urging her to use her authority to close the Pinyon Plain uranium mine that threatens the waters of Grand Canyon and the Havasupai Tribe. 

This comes after the groups, scientists, and many others sent a letter to the governor in January, outlining the threats posed by this mine and asking for her assistance with its closure.

“The Havasupai Tribe, other Tribal leaders, and those who care about protecting Grand Canyon and its waters have fought the Pinyon Plain uranium mine for decades, because it threatens the waters of Grand Canyon and the Havasupai,” said Sandy Bahr, director for Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter. “Governor Hobbs can and should help shut down this mine as once the mine contaminates the groundwater, there is no way to clean it up. The best way to protect Grand Canyon and the people who depend on its waters is to move forward with closure of this mine.” 

The Pinyon Plain mine, which began extracting uranium ore on January 8th, is seven miles south of Grand Canyon National Park and inside the newly designated Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. Although President Biden’s national monument designation permanently bans new mining claims and development inside the monument, it exempts preexisting claims with valid existing rights like the Pinyon Plain uranium mine. 

“Neither industry nor regulators can guarantee that the Pinyon Plain uranium mine won’t irretrievably damage aquifers that feed Grand Canyon’s precious springs,” said Taylor McKinnon, Southwest director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “That’s not a risk worth taking. The Center stands with the Havasupai Tribe in requesting that Governor Hobbs close the mine now.” 

The petitions delivered to the governor ask her to, “Please do everything you can to help protect the waters of Grand Canyon, the new national monument, and these waters that are essential to the existence of the Havasupai people. This mine should be closed before it creates irreversible harm.”

“State Aquifer Protection Permits issued to Pinyon Plain mine relied in part on analyses employing scientific representations that were already shown to be inaccurate when the mine pierced a shallow aquifer,” said Kelly Burke, executive director of Wild Arizona. “With as much as 10 million gallons per year being pumped from the mine shaft, ore extraction and stockpiling well underway, and recent geohydrological science pointing to real cause for concern for the waters, wildlife, and the Havasupai people of Grand Canyon, it is clear Governor Hobbs needs to move now to close Pinyon Plain mine.”

 “Several lines of recent scientific evidence indicate a potential threat of uranium mining near the Grand Canyon to the quantity and quality of springs in the Canyon,” said David Kreamer, Professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and President of the International Association of Hydrogeologists.

The governor has not responded to the groups’ January letter asking for her help to help close the mine. They hope the petition signatures from thousands of Arizonans and people around the country who care about Grand Canyon will catalyze Governor Hobbs to action.

“Chispa Arizona strongly opposes the Pinyon Plain uranium mine’s operation in the recently protected Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument due to its significant environmental risks,” said Vania Guevara, advocacy and political director with Chispa Arizona. “Mine approvals have historically neglected Tribal voices, minimized environmental dangers, and overlooked the potential for contaminating waters that communities depend on. The Pinyon Plain mine can cause irreparable damage to the aquifers below it and we stand with our indigenous relatives from the Havasupai Tribe in urging Governor Hobbs to prioritize the health and safety of Arizona’s people and water by shutting down the mine.”

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For Immediate Release:  April 25, 2024 

Contact:
Perry Wheeler, Earthjustice, 202-792-6211, pwheeler@earthjustice.org
Caitlyn Burford, National Parks Conservation Association, 541-371-6452, cburford@npca.org 
Taylor McKinnon, Center for Biological Diversity, 801-300-2414, tmckinnon@biologicaldiversity.org 
Michael Toll, Grand Canyon Trust, 303-309-2165, mtoll@grandcanyontrust.org 
Andrew Scibetta, NRDC, 202-289-2421, ascibetta@NRDC.org
Kelly Burke, Wild Arizona, 928-606-7870, kelly@wildarizona.org 
Cyndi Tuell, Western Watersheds Project, 520-272-2454, cyndi@westernwatersheds.org 
Chris Krupp, WildEarth Guardians, 206-417-6363, ckrupp@wildearthguardians.org
Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club, 602-999-5790, sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org 

Phoenix, AZ – Conservation groups filed a motion to intervene yesterday in defense of President Biden’s designation of Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona. The Arizona legislature and others filed lawsuits in February attempting to overturn the monument designation and attacking the Antiquities Act as unlawful. The monument lies within the homelands of and holds great cultural significance to numerous Tribes, who led the effort to protect the monument.  

The Havasupai Tribe, the Hopi Tribe, and the Navajo Nation also moved to intervene on Wednesday. 

“This monument is a testament to the decades of tireless advocacy by numerous Tribes to secure federal protections for their ancestral lands and waters around the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately, the Arizona legislature and other parties have sued to eviscerate the monument and to gut the Antiquities Act,” said Michael Toll, staff attorney for the Grand Canyon Trust. “The legislature relies on the same basic arguments that have been rejected by every court to consider them, and we’ll work for that same outcome in this case.”

President Biden lawfully designated Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in August 2023, answering longtime calls from Tribal leaders to permanently protect over 900,000 acres adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park. The monument safeguards sacred Indigenous cultural sites as well as remarkable archaeological and ecological features from uranium mining and other threats. 

Tribes including the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Paiute Tribe, Las Vegas Band of Paiute Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Shivwits Band of Paiutes, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Pueblo of Zuni and the Colorado River Indian Tribes urged President Biden to designate a national monument to honor their deep cultural ties to the Grand Canyon.

Uranium mining around the Grand Canyon threatens to further deplete and permanently pollute the aquifers that feed the Grand Canyon’s springs, which provide water for both the Havasupai Tribe and a rich diversity of plants and animals. Previous mining in the Grand Canyon region has contaminated land and water and radiation has sickened people living nearby, including on the Navajo Nation, where hundreds of abandoned uranium mines still await cleanup. 

“Like the Grand Canyon itself, this breathtaking monument safeguards globally significant cultural values and biodiversity, and we’re determined to defend it,” said Taylor McKinnon, Southwest director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It enshrines decades of Tribal and community advocacy, and we’re confident that these lawsuits will be shown to be on the wrong side of both the law and history.” 

“The critical significance of this lawfully designated monument to the well-being and long-term resilience of Tribal communities, Grand Canyon’s waters and wildlife, the Colorado River, our Grand Canyon state, the nation and the world, cannot be overstated,” said Kelly Burke, executive director for Wild Arizona. “Apparently all this is lost on the Arizona legislature’s leadership, and is why we are committed to stand with Tribal nations in defense of this treasured living landscape against such self-serving attacks.” 

The region is also home to many sensitive and endangered species, including the humpback chub, California condor, desert bighorn sheep, Mexican spotted owl and Western yellow-billed cuckoo, as well as endemic plant and animal species like the Kaibab monkey grasshopper, the House Rock Valley chisel-toothed kangaroo rat, Grand Canyon ringlet butterfly and Tusayan rabbitbrush. Paleontological resources are also found throughout the area, with fossils documented in written scientific literature for nearly 150 years. 

“The state and special interest lawsuits against the monument’s designation show a blatant disregard for the cultural values and widespread importance of protecting this amazing place,” said Cyndi Tuell, Western Watersheds Project’s Arizona and New Mexico director. “Private commercial interests cannot outweigh the national significance of these lands, and in fact, the Biden Administration should have done more to ensure that land uses like livestock grazing do not continue to damage natural and cultural resources.”

The attack, led by the Arizona legislature, follows a similar lawsuit involving the Antiquities Act in Utah, in which Utah and others challenged President Biden’s restoration of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. Both the Utah and Arizona lawsuits target monuments that were set aside to protect and honor Indigenous cultural sites, along with important archaeological and ecological features, and were filed despite strong Tribal support for the designations. The federal court in Utah dismissed the case last year, and it is now on appeal. 

“For more than a century, the Antiquities Act has preserved some of the most treasured and iconic landscapes in the country, including the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument,” said Sandy Bahr, director for Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter. “This lawsuit from Arizona legislators is an attack on a monument promoted by and supported by at least 14 Tribal nations and is just the latest in a series of attacks by big industry and its enablers to undercut the Antiquities Act and sell off public lands to the highest bidder. Presidents from both sides of the aisle have used the act to protect our historical and cultural heritage, and we will keep working to defend these landscapes for future generations.”

In 1920, the Supreme Court upheld President Teddy Roosevelt’s use of the Antiquities Act to protect 800,000 acres in Arizona when he declared the Grand Canyon a national monument. Presidents since have on many occasions designated monuments of a million acres or more. Courts have consistently found that culturally and scientifically rich landscapes, even large ones, are eligible for protection under the Act. In their motion to intervene, the conservation groups signaled their opposition to Utah’s erroneous claim that a president can designate only small monuments centered on specific sites.

“These lawsuits by the Arizona legislature and others seeking to overturn President Biden’s declaration of Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument represent yet another misguided attack on the Antiquities Act of 1906,” said Sara Husby, executive director for Great Old Broads for Wilderness. “Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni was lawfully created to honor Indigenous cultural sites—along with important archaeological and ecological features—and protect them from uranium mining and other threats. Great Old Broads for Wilderness is proud to work in support of the Tribal and Indigenous community in defense of both Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni and the Antiquities Act as a whole.” 

“This case is yet another attack on the Antiquities Act at the behest of extractive industries and anti-federal government groups. It’s disappointing that state officials keep trying to prevent the federal government from managing federal lands in a way that protects sacred Indigenous sites, one-of-a-kind ecosystems, and other cherished public resources,” said Tom Delehanty, senior associate attorney with Earthjustice’s Rocky Mountain Office. “The Supreme Court has recognized for a hundred years that the Antiquities Act gives the president broad authority to protect important sites and landscapes. We’ll continue to fight these meritless lawsuits to ensure our most special places are protected for future generations.” 

“The leadership of the state legislature is defying the interests of Arizonans, who widely support the use of the Antiquities Act to protect the irreplaceable Native cultural sites and unique ecosystems of the greater Grand Canyon,” said Chris Krupp, public lands attorney with WildEarth Guardians. “The leaders of the Arizona House and Senate would rather carry water for the mining and grazing industries that fund their political campaigns than listen to the people of Arizona.” 

“Baaj Nwaavjo is a textbook example of what Congress intended to achieve through the Antiquities Act. Despite decades of extraction and unchecked mining pollution, there are over 3,000 known cultural and historical sites within the protected lands. The monument’s unique hydrological features also give scientists insights into the formation of the Grand Canyon,” said Jackie Iwata, staff attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “Just as the Supreme Court affirmed the Grand Canyon’s designation as a monument a century ago, there is no question that the president can and should protect these resources from further spoliation today.”

“A decade in the making and with resounding Tribal and public support, this monument protects not just a landscape, but a legacy – a tapestry of red rock canyons, irreplaceable waterways, and cultural and historic sites sacred to many Tribal Nations,” said Sanober Mirza, Arizona program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). “The Antiquities Act has been a bedrock conservation law for over a century, protecting cultural and historic treasures and iconic landmarks like Grand Canyon National Park. With the courts repeatedly affirming its authority, we are proud to defend Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.”

“Without the Antiquities Act, our public lands would look starkly different, especially here in Arizona, where the landscape is layered with cultural, natural, and historic resources,” said Mike Quigley, Arizona state director with The Wilderness Society. “Protecting and preserving the ancestral lands of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument is widely supported: a recent poll showed 86% of Arizonans support presidents continuing to use their ability to protect existing public lands as national monuments.”

Earthjustice is representing the Center for Biological Diversity, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, Western Watersheds Project, WildEarth Guardians and Wild Arizona in the intervention. The Grand Canyon Trust and NRDC are co-counseling with Earthjustice and representing themselves. 

Media requests on the Tribes’ efforts can be directed to media@narf.org.

Photos are available here.  

The post conservation groups defend Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument, Antiquities Act appeared first on Wild Arizona.

As 2023 comes to a close, it’s time for us at Wild Arizona to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve had throughout this remarkable year. The historic triumphs and transformative challenges that filled 2023 orbited one constant—the unwavering and enthusiastic support we’ve received from our volunteers, followers, and donors. We first want to pause and express our deepest gratitude to all those who have contributed, in a myriad of ways, to support our initiatives and campaigns. In 2023, we’ve come together as a vibrant community to help move forward enduring protections; riparian restoration; and wilderness and trail stewardship projects, for Arizona’s gorgeous wild landscapes, natural waters, wildlife, and Native ancestral homelands.

This last week of December also marks the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, reminding us that the dynamic vitality of intact webs of life in natural habitats is increasingly threatened. In a time of accelerating loss and public division, the ESA stands as a beacon of hope and shared responsibility for life on Earth our one living planet. Enacted to safeguard our nation’s most vulnerable flora and fauna, this crucial legislation points to preservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage as not merely an option but imperative for a sustainable future, and as our most effective and just means to stabilize climate. The Endangered Species Act compels us to act with foresight and compassion for the natural world, recognizing that the health of our environment is inseparable from our own well-being, and that by this pathway we are securing a legacy of beauty and diversity for all generations.

Acknowledging the impact:

Our success is not just measured by the projects we undertake but by the collective impact we have achieved together. A big thank you goes out to the generous contributions and unwavering efforts of our supporters and crews. We have been able to make significant strides in preserving the natural beauty of Arizona. Whether it’s the restoration of ecosystems, the protections of endangered species, or the creation of spaces that foster a sense of community through the outdoors, every action taken this year has left a lasting imprint on the landscapes we hold dear.

A Special Thanks to Our Followers:

To our followers, who engage with our content, spread awareness, and amplify our message-your dedication is the heartbeat of Wild Arizona. Your enthusiasm and commitment inspire us to continue our mission with renewed vigor. We appreciate every like, share, and comment that helps us reach a wilder audience and create a stronger community united by the love for Arizona’s wild places.

Celebrating our donors:

To our generous donors, your financial support has been the fuel propelling our initiatives forward. Your belief in our vision and commitment to preserving the natural wonders of Arizona have allowed us to embark on ambitious projects that make a real difference. Whether through one-time contributions or ongoing support, your investment in the future of our landscapes is truly invaluable.

As we are about to step into a new year, our commitment to the conservation of Arizona’s wild and native landscapes remains steadfast. With your continued support, we aim to undertake even more ambitious projects, engage in meaningful community initiatives, and be at the forefront of the continued progress for a sustainable and thriving Arizona.

We are beyond grateful for each and every one of you who have been a part of the Wild Arizona family in 2023. Your love, dedication and support are the forces behind our successes. Let’s continue to work hand in hand, ensuring that the beauty and biodiversity of Arizona’s wild spaces endure for generations to come. Lastly, please join in and support us in 2024, another year full of urgent opportunities to save the humpback chub and beaches downriver along the Colorado River in Glen Canyon and Grand Canyon, keep Colorado River flows high enough through the Grand Canyon to sustain the Colorado River Ecosystem, seek landscape-scale protections for the amazing Sky Islands, and call for Wild and Scenic River designation to preserve the treasured upper Verde River. Thank you again for an incredible year, and cheers to a future filled with even greater achievements in conservation and community!

Check out some of our Wild Stew project locations and accomplishments in this End of Year Presentation.

The post celebrating a year of historic conservation wins and a wilder future! appeared first on Wild Arizona.

Act Wild 4.16.2023 : the Marble Platform, Jim Dublinsky Dear {{ FirstName | default: ‘Friend of WildAZ’ }}, In a historic event last Tuesday, the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition announced a campaign calling on President Biden to establish the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument using his Executive authority under the Antiquities Act. Baaj Nwaavjo means “where tribes roam” to the Havasupai, and I’tah Kukveni means “our footprints” for the Hopi. Today you have an opportunity to stand in support of the 12 Tribal Nations, and sign our petition urging the Biden Administration and the President to swiftly advance their proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukvani Grand Canyon National Monument. Tribal leaders have been fighting to protect the rimlands of Grand Canyon region from uranium mining threats for over a decade. The proposal for national monument designation would include 1,102,501 acres around and adjoining Grand Canyon National Park. These rimlands form an integral part of the Colorado River’s Grand Canyon watershed and are where traditional practices, cultural knowledge and spiritual ceremonies have taken place for millennia. SIGN THE PETITION PROTECT THESE LANDS The national monument designation would honor the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition Members’ deep cultural ties to the Grand Canyon and protect the area by making the temporary 20-year moratorium permanent, while also securing the cultural, natural, recreational, and scientific resources of the region. (photo by Kristen Caldon) Through the prevention of further uranium mining development and improved management of waters and forests, the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument designation would have the capacity to increase climate resilience by safeguarding the waters of the Colorado River in the context of acidification, reducing wildfire severity, limiting groundwater loss and disruption associated with uranium mining activities, and protecting unique biodiversity, including endangered California Condor and endemic and culturally important plants, from threats such as habitat loss and toxic pollution. Please join Wild Arizona and stand firmly as a supporter of the 12 Tribal Nations and their proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. In addition, we want to show our deepest and sincerest appreciation to all 12 Tribes for their courage, strength, and dedication as they continue the proud work of stewarding these lands, not just for themselves, but for all people and for generations to come. For the love of wildness, Kelly and the Wild Arizona crew ☞ If you’re in Flagstaff this lovely Sunday evening, join us at the       Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival! Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive Wild on Wednesday enews—updates and news about preserving wild lands, wild waters, wildlife, and wild connections across Arizona and beyond. Not every Wednesday, not always Wednesday. Know it. Love it. Protect it. | GIVE WILDLY | WILD Arizona – Tucson | Flagstaff Wild Stew | Grand Canyon Wildlands Council © 2023 wildarizona.org

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Wild Arizona and Kahtoola stand with Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition in call to protect traditional homelands on the Canyon’s Rimlands

For Immediate Release, April 11, 2023

Contacts: Kelly Burke, (928) 606-7870, kelly@wildarizona.org
Danny Giovale, (928) 853-3351, danny@kahtoola.com

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.— In a historic event today, the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition announced a campaign calling on President Biden to establish the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument using his Executive authority under the Antiquities Act. Baaj Nwaavjo means “where tribes roam” to the Havasupai, and I’tah Kukveni means “our footprints” for the Hopi.

For more than a decade, tribal leaders have been fighting to protect the Grand Canyon region from uranium mining threats. The proposal for the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument would include 1,102,501 acres around and adjoining Grand Canyon National Park. These lands form an integral part of the Colorado River’s Grand Canyon watershed and are where traditional practices, cultural knowledge, and spiritual ceremonies have taken place for millennia.

The national monument designation would honor the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition Members’ deep cultural ties to the Grand Canyon and protect the area by making the temporary 20-year mining moratorium permanent, while also securing the cultural, natural, recreational, and scientific resources of the region. Twelve Tribal Nations who have called Grand Canyon their home since time immemorial, are unified in their bold efforts to continue the movement to permanently protect their traditional homelands under the Antiquities Act.

Through the prevention of further uranium mining development and improved management of waters and forests, the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument designation would have the capacity to increase climate resilience by safeguarding the waters of the Colorado River in the context of aridification, reducing wildfire severity, limiting groundwater loss and disruption associated with uranium mining activities, and protecting unique biodiversity including endangered California Condor and endemic and culturally important plants, from threats such as habitat loss and toxic pollution.

“Kahtoola stands firmly behind the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition and their steadfast dedication to preserve, protect and steward the lands in and around the Grand Canyon area. As a local business that values indigenous heritage and perspectives, we support the tribal led coalition’s proposal to create this monument for the protection of the landscapes, waterways, wildlife, cultural values, clean water and respectful outdoor recreation. We strongly encourage the Biden administration to acknowledge the critical work of the Tribes, who are the original inhabitants and stewards of these lands through the President’s authority to designate Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument,” said Danny Giovale, Founder/Owner, Kahtoola

“Wild Arizona offers deep thanks and our steadfast support to the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition for their monumental effort to safeguard the Grand Canyon and its rimlands, and acknowledges their many generations of stewardship and protection of the lands, waters and wildlife of this beloved region. The Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument proposal shows the vision of regional Tribal leaders for the health and beauty of this living cultural landscape and its vital ecosystems, sacred Tribal lands and waters, and sustaining economic benefits, set against the devastating impacts of uranium mining. Wild Arizona urgently requests the Biden Administration to swiftly advance their historic proposal and ensure that the Grand Canyon’s cultural connections and natural legacy be preserved and healed to honor all generations: past, present and future” said Kelly Burke, Executive Director, Wild Arizona.

Today we stand together firmly as supporters of the 12 Tribal Nations and their proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. In addition, we want to show our deepest and sincerest appreciation to all 12 Tribes for their courage, strength, and dedication as they continue the proud work of stewarding these lands, not just for themselves, but for all people and for generations to come.

The Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition consists of leadership representatives of the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Paiute Tribe, Las Vegas Band of Paiute Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Pueblo of Zuni, and the Colorado River Indian Tribes.

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Wild Arizona is a statewide organization with nearly 3000 supporters/members working since 1979 to protect, unite, and restore wildlands and waters across Arizona and beyond. We pursue this mission for the enrichment and health of all generations and to ensure Arizona’s native plants and animals a lasting home in wild nature.

Kahtoola was founded on the idea that giving back is a responsibility we have as an outdoor business. And for over two decades, we’ve proudly invested in organizations that are making a real difference in the lives of others—organizations that inspire us and that share our core values around preserving Indigenous cultures, building outdoor community and protecting our environment.

• Download this press release as a PDF.

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By Lauren Renteria, Wild Stew Field Crew Member

This week, the Wild Stew Field Crew traveled to the edge of Arizona to work at Paria Beach in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park. There, we took on one of our biggest projects yet: clearing 5 acres of brush and logs from a prescribed burn area and planting more than 100 small trees along the beach. That meant we needed all hands on deck. This hitch we welcomed two new crew members to the team, Nizhoni Baldwin and Sam Baggenstos, and welcomed back Wild Arizona’s Lead Biologist Taylour Stephens and Conservation Associate Jordan Zweig to the field.

The first two days proved to be dirty and exhausting work. The team split into pairs, one swamper and one sawyer, and tore our way through the leftovers of hundreds of burned tamarisk—which are invasive to the area—scattered throughout the ash-laden beach. Once our cutting mission was complete, we brought in the heavy machinery. This week, we were joined by Wild Arizona’s Deputy and Stewardship Director Brian Stultz, who moved thousands of pounds of cut vegetation with a skid steer on the work site. He placed the smaller branches and brush into a nearby gully to help control erosion in the area and laid the larger logs out which we cut up for local communities to use as firewood.

Paria Beach is unlike any other worksite we’ve been to so far. It is a special place that highlights Arizona’s impressive geology and biological diversity in just a few acres. It’s also a community space where families, anglers, nature lovers and boaters can come together and enjoy some of what the Grand Canyon State has to offer. The beach is just downstream of where the Paria River and Colorado River converge and create the first riffle boaters encounter on their journey down the Colorado following their launch from Lee’s Ferry. 

But, perhaps most importantly, it’s also home to thousands of years of indigenous history. That’s why, throughout the project, we were accompanied by two archeologists with the National Park Service, who advised us on where to drive the skid steer and how we could make sure to protect nearby archeological sites and artifacts.    

With that in mind, we started phase two of our mission: We used the skid steer and an auger to dig dozens of holes in preparation to plant native Goodding’s willow and cottonwood trees to restore the area. Larry Stevens, Wild Arizona’s senior ecologist, joined us in the field to help find and cut branches for planting from mature trees nearby, as well as providing potted trees that had been grown nearby. Though some of the plants will not survive, those that do will provide a richer habitat for local bird species, shade for beach visitors and improve overall health of the area, Stevens said. 

With some holes dug and branches cut, we were ready to start planting. Students from a high school in Page, Arizona joined the crew Friday, April 1, and got their hands dirty clearing trash from the beach, cutting branches to plant and fence wire to protect the growing trees from hungry river beavers.

By Tuesday, we had planted and fenced in 148 trees along the beach and renaturalized our worksite to allow the wind and weather to obscure any remaining tracks from the skid steer.

It will take years to see the long-term effects of the project but birds have already started to show interest in the newly planted trees. It’s just a matter of time for the beach to heal from the burn and invasive species that once lived there. 

Next hitch, the crew returns to the Mt. Wrightson Wilderness to pick up where we left off on the Old Baldy Trail, and will be hosting a volunteer event on Saturday, April 16. After, we’ll celebrate the Highline Trail Restoration Initiative on Saturday, April 23 to install new kiosks and benches at the Pine Trailhead. This event is open to the public and we hope to see everyone there!

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February 16, 2021 (Grand Canyon excerpts below: click here to read the full release online.)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today announced that the House Rules Committee will consider a package of Natural Resources Committee bills early next week ahead of a full House vote on Wednesday, Feb. 23. The package includes Grijalva’s Grand Canyon Protection Act, which was introduced as a standalone bill on Monday; Rep. Joe Neguse’s (D-Colo.) Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act; and a collection of bills introduced in the last Congress as a package by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) under the heading Protecting America’s Wilderness Act.

Grijalva on Monday introduced his Grand Canyon bill alongside 16 House Democratic cosponsors to permanently protect the greater Grand Canyon region from new mining claims and the pollution they would produce. Grijalva has made Grand Canyon protection a priority since coming to Congress in 2003, and as Chair of the Committee has drawn together an unprecedented coalition of Native American communities, conservation advocates, local elected officials, sportsmen and other stakeholders in support of permanently protecting the region from further mining pollution.

The bill – mirroring similar efforts in previous congresses – permanently withdraws slightly more than 1 million acres of federal land north and south of Grand Canyon National Park from eligibility for any future mining claims and leaves valid existing claims intact. Local stakeholders agree that uranium deposits in this part of Northern Arizona should not be mined for fear of contaminating the Grand Canyon or the seeps and springs in the region.

The area is currently in the midst of a 20-year moratorium on new claims instituted in 2012 by then-Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Unless extended, that moratorium will expire in the next decade.

“Of all the places on Earth to protect from mining pollution, the Grand Canyon should be the least controversial,” Grijalva said today. “The people of this state, and this country, should never again be subjected to special interest demands that we open the land around one of the wonders of the world to more pollution and exploitation. Nobody, with the exception of a few mining interests and their political apologists, can look into the eyes of the people who live here and say with a straight face that we need to keep having this argument. Protecting the Grand Canyon region is an environmental justice issue, an economic issue, and a moral issue all at the same time, and I’m proud to bring this coalition together to resolve it in the public interest once and for all.”

– Chairman Raul Grijalva (AZ)

The bill is endorsed by the following stakeholders.

Members of Congress

“The Grand Canyon is one of the most iconic and beautiful landscapes in America and the world. It is also a critical source of economic development and drinking water in the region and a sacred place for Indigenous people. I am proud to help champion the Grand Canyon Protection Act to ensure this national treasure endures for generations of Arizonans and Americans to come.” – Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.)

“As threats against the Grand Canyon mount, we must take action to protect and preserve the precious public lands in and around the National Park. The Grand Canyon is home to sensitive wildlife habitats, critical groundwater resources, and Tribal communities that trace their origins to the region. The Canyon is also the heart of our state’s tourism industry. Protecting these lands for generations to come is tied to the future of Arizona’s economy, environment and cultural traditions.” – Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.)

Native American Tribes

“On behalf of the Havasupai Tribe, I am writing to express our full support for the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The Havasupai Tribe has opposed a nearby uranium mine, the Pinyon Plain Mine (formerly Canyon Mine), for years. The mine is located in the Red Butte area, which is our traditional cultural property. The contamination from the mine has caused millions of gallons of precious water to be rendered unusable and wasted, and the mine has potential to contaminate the Redwall-Muav aquifer. As evidence of how strongly the Havasupai tribal members oppose uranium mining, we included a prohibition on mining, exploration, and surveying for uranium in the Constitution of the Havasupai Tribe. The United States has a trust obligation to protect the Havasupai Tribe and an obligation to protect and preserve the Grand Canyon region, which cannot be met if mining is permitted to continue and increase on the Coconino Plateau. The Grand Canyon Protection Act will help protect our sacred lands and waters from the harmful and often irreversible effects of uranium mining.”

– Evangeline Kissoon, Havasupai Tribal Chairwoman

“The Hopi and other tribes call the Grand Canyon their mother land which is sacred and has been inexorably bound to their culture and ceremonies since time immemorial. Thank you to Congressman Grijalva for his continued commitment to protecting the Grand Canyon’s sacred landscape. The Grand Canyon Protection Act will ensure that the area remains free from the scars of mining and its waters protected from mining related pollution.”

– Clark Tenakhongva, Vice Chairman, Hopi Tribe

“I strongly support the Grand Canyon Protection Act to preserve the land and protect all of the five-fingered beings that visit and live in the Grand Canyon area, including our brothers and sisters from other tribal nations. The Navajo people have endured decades of radiation exposure and contamination that has taken the lives of many former uranium miners, downwinders, and impacted the health of our unborn children. The permitting of any uranium mining operations near Navajo Nation lands, other tribal lands, and national parks would be devastating to the health and well-being of many. We thank Congressman Grijalva and ask Congress to support the Grand Canyon Protection Act.”

– Jonathan Nez, President, Navajo Nation

Conservation Groups

“This bill is about protecting a natural wonder and the engine of Arizona’s economy, but more importantly, it’s about listening to Indigenous nations who have, for too long, been ignored and made to shoulder the deadly consequences of uranium extraction for the rest of us. This bill is a significant step toward the federal government saying ‘no more.'” – Amber Reimondo, Energy Director, Grand Canyon Trust

“Uranium mining has a toxic legacy of soil and water contamination and the prospect of future mining has been a serious threat to the Grand Canyon’s fragile water supplies. This bill will ensure that the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon’s rivers, springs, waterfalls and creeks remain uncontaminated by uranium pollution and can continue to supply vital water to park visitors and the Havasupai tribe.” – Kevin Dahl, Arizona Senior Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association

“The Grand Canyon is far too special — for Indigenous communities, wildlife, and our cultural and natural heritage — to leave it at risk to nearby, reckless uranium mining that threatens the health and water resources for the Havasupai, Navajo, Hopi, and Hualapai Tribes and 40 million users downstream. We stand in full support of Chairman Grijalva’s tireless leadership to protect these lands, public health, Tribal communities, wildlife, and recreational opportunities by preventing additional uranium mining in the greater Grand Canyon.” – Collin O’Mara, President and CEO, National Wildlife Federation

“Sierra Club is pleased to join Tribal nations, local communities, conservation groups, and businesses in supporting the Grand Canyon Protection Act to safeguard the Grand Canyon region from the harmful impacts of toxic uranium mining. We look forward to the timely passage of the bill in the House and Senate to ensure protection of the people, waters, wildlife, and cultural resources of the Grand Canyon region.” – Sandy Bahr, Chapter Director, Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter

“Contaminating the Grand Canyon’s precious aquifers and springs with more deadly uranium pollution would be unforgivable. We join the region’s many tribes and millions of Americans in urging passage of this critical legislation.” – Taylor McKinnon, Senior Campaigner, Center for Biological Diversity

“The Grand Canyon is a national treasure and sacred land to several Native American Tribes. We must protect it, along with the people who live in the canyon and surrounding areas, from the dangers of uranium mining contamination. We’re grateful to Chairman Grijalva for his unwavering efforts to protect this special place and look forward to this bill becoming law.” – Mike Quigley, Arizona State Director, The Wilderness Society

“As people of diverse faiths throughout Arizona, we are deeply concerned with protecting the sacred land of the Grand Canyon. Our faith traditions teach that all land is part of God’s creation and must be treated as holy. The golden rule, which stretches across all traditions, reminds us that we are to care for our neighbor and keep them healthy and thriving. Uranium mining threatens the places we hold sacred, our neighbor’s health and violates the moral calling of our faith traditions. The Arizona Faith Network stands in support of the Grand Canyon Protection Bill and urges Congress to pass this crucial legislation.” – Rev. Katie Sexton-Wood, Executive Director, Arizona Faith Network

“Chairman Grijalva’s legislation would secure treasured wild lands and the health of communities in Arizona for generations to come, and Earthjustice is proud to support it. Congress should pass this legislation without delay as it would strengthen protections for ancestral lands long occupied and held sacred by the first people to inhabit them. It would ensure that the next hundred years of the Grand Canyon area are filled with the same recreational opportunities as the first hundred. We are proud to support his efforts.” – Blaine Miller-McFeeley, Senior Legislative Representative, Earthjustice

“Halting new uranium mining around the Grand Canyon, indefinitely, is life-affirming, socially just, and economically wise. Wild Arizona stands with Indigenous communities, veterans, Colorado River-runners, outdoor businesses, and conservationists in strongly supporting Chairman Grijalva’s bill. We look forward to Congress immediately securing this opportunity to permanently protect Grand Canyon—to sustain the region’s natural waters, wildlife corridors, unique ecosystems, and cultural landscapes—and provide a healthy vibrant future for all.”

– Kelly Burke, Executive Director, Wild Arizona

“Uranium mining is a practice that has intentionally contaminated drinking water, and risked our kids’ health, putting the lands we love at risk. This bill will safeguard the Grand Canyon and its waterways from uranium pollution, protecting a cherished landmark and its surrounding communities, and ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy and appreciate our national parks and public lands. Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) urges Congress to pass this vital legislation.” – Ándrea Trujillo Guajardo, Policy Director, HECHO

“Permanently protecting the Grand Canyon ecoregion from the well-documented hazards of uranium mining and associated industrialization is essential to preserving the irreplaceable ecological and cultural treasures of that iconic landscape. It would also significantly add to our country’s priority to protect 30% of our nation’s lands by 2030, a critical step essential for the preservation of our planet’s diversity of life, humans included.” – Kim Crumbo, Wildlands Coordinator, The Rewilding Institute

“The Arizona Trail Association shares our profound thanks to Congressman Grijalva for his unwavering support of the natural and cultural resources that make Arizona and the Grand Canyon Region unlike anywhere else on Earth. The Grand Canyon Protection Act will provide important safeguards for the Arizona National Scenic Trail and all who hike, run and ride on the trail, in addition to water, wildlife, and the landscape itself. It’s time we prioritize public health over one toxic industry’s wealth, especially on public lands that are vital assets to our economy and way of life.” – Matthew Nelson, Executive Director, Arizona Trail Association

“As sportsmen, we know that the impact of water contamination and habitat fragmentation is real,” said Nathan Rees, Arizona field coordinator for Trout Unlimited. “Uranium mining near the Grand Canyon is unacceptable given the best science available and the known risks to our natural resources, the economy of Northern Arizona, and the communities that depend on Colorado River water. Access to clean water is crucial to the very survival of the fish and wildlife in this arid region. Small streams and seeps that may not be visibly connected on the surface will provide conduits for that contamination to locations far from the original source and ultimately to the Colorado River.” – Nathan Rees, Arizona Coordinator, Trout Unlimited

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©David Edwards

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