The word is spreading, and in today’s hearing, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will learn more about why now is the time to protect Grand Canyon National Park from toxic mining. With the price of gold increasing, mining companies are poised to boost their profits at the expense of this American treasure. In the past five years alone, more than 800 claims have been staked within five miles of the national park.
The future of the Grand Canyon is at stake right now. Senators on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee have the historic opportunity to stand up and give America’s park the protection it deserves, and they cannot wait.This fall, the House of Representatives passed the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 (H.R. 2262), which outlines protections for the Grand Canyon and other national parks. Mining companies use a range of toxic chemicals to extract gold, silver, copper, and other minerals from the earth. In one mining process, cyanide is poured over mounds of earth to extract low grade ore. This situation, combined with other operations, has led to fish kills, dead birds around mines, and fenced off areas of contamination. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that hardrock mining is the number one source of toxic pollution in the United States and that it has contaminated 40 percent of western watersheds. The Senate must support the long over due public lands protections outlined in H.R. 2262 and save the Grand Canyon for future generations.
