Republicans enter bill to open Grand Canyon area to uranium mining (foreign companies own significant interests)

And in yet other news you haven't heard, there's a Republican reaction to something the Department of Interior did, that's a reaction to something someone found out a while ago. (See what happens when you turn over your free press to corporate stooges? You get last weekend's football scores — only.)

Short and sweet:

    ■ There's a big pile of yellowcake uranium in the Grand Canyon park area.

    ■ The mining rights are claimed by a bunch of companies, including big foreign ones from Canada and Korea (lots of info in this link).

    ■ Ken Salazar and the Dept of Interior put a moratorium on mining there.

    ■ John McCain and a bunch of other Republicans now want to legislate the moratorium into the ether, because, you know ... jobs. (Or bribes, take your pick.)

    ■ Environmentalists are opposed.

Here's the whole thing in a couple of paragraphs from Pew:

Jane Danowitz, director of the U.S. public lands program for the Pew Environment Group, issued the following statement in response to a bill introduced in the U.S. House and Senate, the Northern Arizona Mining Continuity Act of 2011, that would block the Obama administration’s ability to move forward with a plan to protect Grand Canyon National Park from new uranium mining claims.

“It is unfortunate that some in Congress are attempting to prevent the Obama administration from taking action to protect the Grand Canyon from new uranium mining.

“Although proponents of expanded Grand Canyon mining cite American energy independence, a significant percentage of these mining claims and pending operations are controlled by foreign interests, which pay no royalties for the mineral wealth they extract from U.S. public lands. Furthermore, the possible contamination from uranium, which could affect the Grand Canyon and 26 million downstream water users, is a risk many stakeholders have warned against.

“Last month, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar responded to broad support from the public, scientific community, tourism industry, and downstream water users by announcing a 20-year plan to protect the Grand Canyon from growing uranium mining pressures. This legislation makes it all the more critical that the Obama administration move swiftly to fulfill its commitment to give this American treasure the lasting protection it deserves.”

Bet you wish you didn't know that. Watch this space; I'll try to keep you better informed than 1 Live Crew.

GP