Home
Donate Sign up for e-network
CENTER for BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY Because life is good
ABOUT ACTION PROGRAMS SPECIES NEWSROOM PUBLICATIONS SUPPORT

Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash player

ACTION TIMELINE

February 11, 2008 – Citing widespread public opposition and a flawed environmental review, the Center and allies wrote a letter requesting that the Kaibab National Forest withdraw approval of up to 39 new uranium-exploration drilling sites immediately south of Grand Canyon National Park.

March 12, 2008 – The Center, Sierra Club and Grand Canyon Trust filed a lawsuit challenging the approval of up to 39 new uranium drilling sites within only a few miles of Grand Canyon National Park.

March 17, 2008 – U.S. Congressman Raúl Grijalva announced his introduction of the Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act of 2008, legislation prohibiting new uranium mining across 1 million acres of public lands in watersheds surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.

March 28, 2008 – At a congressional hearing in Flagstaff, the Center and allies strongly supported Representative Grijalva’s Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act.

April 4, 2008 – Due to the Center’s March lawsuit challenging the approval of up to 39 new uranium-drilling sites south of Grand Canyon National Park, a federal judge issued an injunction against VANE Minerals and the Kaibab National Forest, halting uranium exploration on the public lands in question.

June 19, 2008 – Representative Grijalva submitted a resolution to the Natural Resources Committee pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act that would enact emergency protections from uranium development across 1 million acres of federal public lands surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.

June 25, 2008 – The Committee on Natural Resources voted 20-2 in favor of Grijalva’s resolution, which required Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to immediately withdraw the 1 million acres from mineral entry for three years.

September 26, 2008 – In a “complete legal victory,” the Center, Grand Canyon Trust and Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Forest Service and VANE Minerals over our March legal challenge to uranium exploration south of Grand Canyon National Park.

September 29, 2008 – The Center, Grand Canyon Trust and Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter filed suit against Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne for authorizing uranium exploration near Grand Canyon National Park in defiance of the June congressional resolution prohibiting such activities across 1 million acres of public lands in watersheds surrounding the Park.

October 9, 2008 – In response to our September 29 lawsuit, the Bureau of Land Management proposed to eliminate a regulation that compels the secretary of the interior to withdraw 1 million acres of federal land near Grand Canyon National Park from uranium mining.

December 4, 2008 – The Bush administration announced that it would finalize a new rule eliminating the regulatory provision requiring the Interior Department to withdraw lands from mining when Congress determines that there is an emergency situation requiring immediate action. The new rule was designed to defy Congress’ June 25 emergency resolution regarding Grand Canyon uranium mining.

January 22, 2009 – Congressman Grijalva reintroduced the Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act.

May 5, 2009 – The Center and allies obtained documents revealing that the Bureau of Land Management had authorized Quaterra Alaska, Inc., to conduct uranium-mine exploration operations across five separate projects on public lands north of Grand Canyon National Park, in violation of the June 2008 congressional resolution.

July 17, 2009 – The Center and allies announced support for a three-day traditional gathering and rally hosted by the Havasupai Tribe against uranium mining in the Grand Canyon.

July 20, 2009 – The Obama administration issued a notice to temporarily place 1 million acres of public lands surrounding Grand Canyon off limits to new mining claims and exploration or development of existing, unpatented claims.

August 25, 2009 – The Department of the Interior published a Federal Register notice announcing its preparation of an environmental impact statement evaluating a proposed “mineral withdrawal” that would prohibit new mining claims and the exploration or mining of existing claims without valid existing rights across 1 million acres of Grand Canyon-area lands for 20 years.

September 8, 2009 – The Center, Grand Canyon Trust and Sierra Club filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue the Bureau of Land Management for failing to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the potential impacts of the Arizona 1 uranium mine, located just north of Grand Canyon National Park, on threatened and endangered species.

November 5, 2009 – Tallies were released showing that the public sent nearly 100,000 letters and emails — more than 21,000 of them from Center supporters — to the Bureau of Land Management favoring new uranium-mining protections in the watersheds surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.

November 16, 2009 – The Center, Grand Canyon Trust and Sierra Club filed suit in an Arizona federal court challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s approval of the restart of the Arizona 1 mine.

February 11, 2010 – The Center sued the Bureau of Land Management for illegally withholding public records relating to uranium mines immediately north of Grand Canyon National Park. The suit asserted that the Bureau violated the Freedom of Information Act by refusing to disclose records pursuant to a July 30, 2009 request submitted by the Center.

February 18, 2010 – The U.S. Geological Survey released a series of studies showing elevated uranium levels in soil, mine sumps and some wells and springs around uranium-exploration and mining sites within the Grand Canyon watershed. The studies were part of an analysis for the proposed 1 million-acre “mineral withdrawal,” that is, mining ban. 

April 8, 2010 – The Center and other conservation groups joined representatives from the Havasupai and Hualapai tribes in voicing united support of the Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act, which was slated for discussion as part of a joint congressional hearing on April 8 at Grand Canyon National Park.

June 17, 2010 – A federal court denied our November 2009 request for a preliminary injunction to halt the Arizona 1 mine.

July 12, 2010 – The Center, Grand Canyon Trust, Sierra Club and Kaibab Paiute and Havasupai tribes appealed the decision denying our request to halt the Arizona 1 mine.

February 17, 2011 – The Obama administration announced a draft plan today to protect 1 million acres of public land around Grand Canyon National Park from new uranium mining.

March 10, 2011 – Ignoring widespread public opposition, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality issued three air- and one aquifer-pollution permits for three uranium mines located on public lands within Grand Canyon National Park’s immediate watershed.

June 20, 2011 – Interior Secretary Ken Salazar extended interim protections from uranium mining for the Grand Canyon’s 1-million-acre watershed through the end of 2011. The secretary also announced his support for a 20-year mineral withdrawal across the same area.

October 12, 2011 – Republican lawmakers led by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) proposed legislation today to open the 1 million acres of public lands to new uranium mining. The bill would overturn the existing moratorium on new mining and mining claims and block Salazar’s proposal to extend those protections for the next 20 years. 

October 26, 2011 – The Obama administration released its final environmental impact statement proposing to protect 1 million acres of public land around Grand Canyon National Park from new uranium mining and mining claims for 20 years.

October 26, 2011 – The Obama administration announced a plan to protect 1 million acres of public land around Grand Canyon National Park from new uranium mining and mining claims for 20 years.

November 28, 2011 – Conservation groups and American Indian tribes filed an appeal in the 9th Circuit Court challenging a lower court ruling that allowed a uranium mine near Grand Canyon National Park to reopen without updating decades-old environmental reviews. 

January 9, 2012 – Conservation groups applauded the finalization of the Obama administration’s decision to protect 1 million acres of public land around Grand Canyon National Park from new uranium mining.

February 27, 2012 – In an attempt to open public lands around Grand Canyon National Park to dangerous new uranium mining, the National Mining Association filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the Interior Department’s recent enactment of the uranium ban. In response, the Center, Grand Canyon Trust and Sierra Club — represented by Earthjustice and Western Mining Action Project — announced plans to intervene on the side of the government to defend the Grand Canyon.

February 27, 2012 – In an attempt to open public lands around Grand Canyon National Park to dangerous new uranium mining, the National Mining Association filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the Interior Department’s recent enactment of the uranium ban. In response, the Center, Grand Canyon Trust and Sierra Club — represented by Earthjustice and Western Mining Action Project — announced plans to intervene on the side of the government to defend the Grand Canyon.

April 23, 2012 – Judge Frederick Martone of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona issued an order allowing Center, the Havasupai tribe and three other conservation groups to defend the uranium ban from a lawsuit filed by uranium propector Gregory Yount.

January 9, 2013 – One year after the Obama administration enacted new protections limiting uranium-mine development on 1 million acres around Grand Canyon National Park, pollution and legal threats from the uranium industry remained. Five uranium-industry lawsuits — one seeking upwards of $120 million from the United States — as well as plans to reopen two 1980s-era mines still threaten the public and traditional tribal land and water within and around Grand Canyon National Park.

March 20, 2013 – U.S. District Judge David Campbell denied the uranium industry's motion to overturn the Obama administration’s ban on new uranium mining on 1 million acres near the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon uranium mine photo © Bill Ferris