US Halts Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon
US: June 27, 2008
LOS ANGELES - Uranium mining near the rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona was
halted for three years by a 20-2 vote Wednesday in a US House of
Representatives committee.
A recent surge in mining claims within five miles of Grand Canyon National
Park sparked the action. The number of claims close to the park increased to
more than 1,100 by January 2008 from only 10 in January 2003, according to
government figures.
Almost all those claims are to mine uranium. Uranium prices have increased
in recent years as demand has spiked to feed an increasing number of nuclear
power plants across the globe, as well as potential new US plants.
"This emergency action will help prevent uranium mining from harming the
Grand Canyon and polluting drinking water for millions," said Dusty Horwitt,
public lands analyst at Environmental Working Group, which spearheaded the
effort to block mining.
Horwitt said mining could pollute the Colorado River, source of drinking
water for millions throughout the Southwest, including the Los Angeles,
Phoenix and Las Vegas areas.
The world consumes about 180 million pounds (50 million to 55 million pounds
in the United States) of raw uranium a year. (Reporting by Bernard Woodall;
Editing by Braden Reddall)
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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