Tribes and activists demonstrate against uranium mine near the Grand Canyon
Tribal leaders and environmental groups demand the closure of the Pinyon Plain uranium mine during a protest near the Grand Canyon on August 4, 2024.
GRAND CANYON – On a summer Sunday morning, more than 100 people gathered near the intersection of Forest Road 320 and State Route 64 to protest the first shipments of uranium ore from a mine south of the Grand Canyon.
The protest took place at a point along the approved route for transporting uranium ore from Energy Fuels’ Pinyon Plain Mine to its White Mesa Mill near Blanding, Utah. The mining company had hauled the first truckloads of unprocessed ore out of the mine last Tuesday.
The lively scene included volunteers handing out fruit and drinks under tents while a group of musicians performed prayer songs over water. Nearly 70 protesters stood side by side on the roadside, holding signs condemning uranium mining and calling for health and environmental protection.
Protesters included Havasupai, Navajo, Hopi and Fort Mojave tribal members, local residents and environmental groups.
The goal of the protest was to attract the attention of passing motorists who were on their way to the canyon to enjoy the Great American Outdoors Act Day in the park, many of whom responded by honking in support.
It was the latest in a wave of demonstrations since Energy Fuels began transporting uranium ore along the approved route, which includes Navajo Nation territory, without notifying local residents.
The US Forest Service and local authorities had requested advance notice, but the mine was not required to do so and did not inform the US Forest Service until after mining had begun.
“To me, they were operating undercover to illegally travel through Navajo territory,” Navajo President Buu Nygren said after the U.S. Forest Service informed him of the shipments. “It’s very disappointing that they did that, that they smuggled uranium through our land, which is very inappropriate.”
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A legacy of mistrust
Navajo law requires advance notice and generally prohibits the transport of radioactive materials across Navajo Nation lands unless they are being removed from abandoned mines.
The law also affirms the Navajo Nation’s right to exclude non-members and impose restrictions on their entry to tribal lands. Energy Fuels defends the transports by pointing out that the route lies within state and federal rights of way.
On Wednesday, Nygren issued an executive order requiring Energy Fuels to provide advance notice of new deliveries. He said the Justice Department would work with the company’s lawyers to discuss future options.
Pollution from historic uranium mining in the Southwest, particularly within the Navajo Nation, has created persistent distrust among tribes and prompted them to act.
Navajo Nation First Lady Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren organized a rally in Cameron on Friday, followed by a march along U.S. Highway 89, which is part of the uranium transportation route.
“My grandparents also died of cancer from uranium exposure. Uranium has affected all of us deeply. We are all affected in one way or another,” she said. “Today we stand up and say, ‘Respect our tribal sovereignty, respect our laws.’ And now we say ‘No.'”“
Following Friday’s demonstration, Energy Fuels announced that the company would voluntarily suspend its deliveries, in part at the request of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs.
Despite this concession, discontent persisted. On Saturday, protesters marched again on the same highway, while others gathered outside Flagstaff City Hall in the early evening, chanting “Haul No!” But Sunday saw the largest gathering of the weekend.
“Hopefully it sends a strong message,” said Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon chapter and one of the event’s organizers. “We don’t want a temporary halt to transportation. We want them to stop transporting uranium ore and, most importantly, we want the mine to close. And that’s the strong message we want to send to Governor Hobbs and President Biden today.”
This weekend’s protests were part of a long-standing opposition to the mine, formerly known as the Canyon Mine, initiated by neighboring tribes and groups seeking to avoid the risks associated with uranium mining.
Just a month ago, about a dozen environmental activists gathered at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix to deliver 17,557 letters calling on Governor Hobbs to close the mine.
“We still haven’t received an answer,” said Bahr.
The determination to continue the fight is undiminished. The tribes are dogged in their efforts, and members of all ages say they have grown up with this fight, protecting the canyon and the communities that inhabit it.
Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the designation of Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – the Grand Canyon National Monument’s Ancestral Footprints – a victory for 12 Native American tribes fighting to protect the canyon from future uranium mining claims.
The Pinyon Plain Mine is protected under the Mining Act of 1872. Therefore, designation as a national monument cannot override previously existing rights to this mine.
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“The fight began when I was little”
Dianna WhiteDove Uqualla, a member of the Havasupai Tribal Council, spoke about the situation in a weary but tenacious tone, sounding eager to continue the fight of her ancestors.
“My ancestors fought against this a long time ago. Even before they started drilling into Mother Earth,” she said.
The Havasupai say their fight against the mine is rooted in their commitment to peace. Uqualla spoke with great respect for the environment, referring to water, plants, wildlife and people, whom she called “the two-legged people.” As a peace activist, she stresses the importance of appreciating and protecting the world’s interconnected elements.
The Havasupai, the people of the blue-green waters, are taught that water is life, plants are medicine, and the animals they hunt for food are part of a chain that connects all living things. Their traditions emphasize the importance of protecting these vital resources and the sacred place they inhabit.
“The Grand Canyon is a sacred altar, one of the greatest altars you can stand on. And you don’t even have to be religious,” she said. “When you look at that infinity, you become condescending and think, ‘I’m just this little piece. And I have to remember that.’ It’s a lesson for you.”
The tribe has several concerns about the mine. They fear that an accident could cause water containing heavy metals to seep into underground aquifers and contaminate their only source of water. They worry about the animals that drink from the unclean pond in the mine and about the particles that fly through the air.
The company claims these fears are unfounded and that modern mining practices are “extremely safe.”
“The likelihood of groundwater contamination or health or environmental harm to anyone is zero,” said Curtis Moore, the company’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate development.
During extraction and transportation, he said, the ore remains unprocessed and is neither highly radioactive nor dangerous.
The Biden administration’s goal is to increase domestic uranium supplies for nuclear power to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
“This is a critical time for the U.S. nuclear industry as we work to move away from Russian uranium and advance clean, carbon-free nuclear power. It is imperative that we work together for a safe and clean energy future,” said Mark Chalmers, the company’s president and chief executive officer, in an emailed statement.
However, the communities claim that the mining company has failed to build a relationship of trust with them, especially after it failed to inform them in a timely manner about the recent start of ore transportation.
“You can’t trust their words,” said Matthew Putesoy Sr., a member of the Havasupai tribe who works in the Department of Environmental Programs. “They say one thing and do another, you know? And they’ve been doing this for a long time. There’s too much injustice being done to Native peoples across the country.”
Attorney General Kris Mayes met with Energy Fuels executives on Friday.
“Attorney General Mayes made it clear that Energy Fuels’ lack of communication and transparency with tribal nations and local governments in northern Arizona is unacceptable,” her spokesperson said.
Mayes also directed the company to quickly submit an emergency plan to stakeholders. Local governments have repeatedly requested an emergency plan from Energy Fuels, but the company has yet to submit one.
The protests will not end there
Later on Sunday, the weekend was drawing to a close. After three hours in the sun, dancing, singing, praying and protesting, people began to set up their tents.
Children ran and laughed while someone blew bubbles at them.
Those present thanked each other for their presence and said goodbye with hugs and good wishes.
Rain clouds were gathering. The march was over, but a few protesters decided to go to the Grand Canyon with their signs to spread the message until it finally rained and asked everyone to go away and rest.
Trilce Estrada Olvera writes about environmental issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send comments and story tips to [email protected].
Environmental reporting on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust..
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