A major step has been taken on setting a permanent moratorium on new uranium mining claims on just more than one million acres of federally protected public lands around Grand Canyon National Park.
Congressman Raul Grijalva announced that the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act passed the U.S. House on a vote of 236-185.
Mike Quigley is the Arizona state director for The Wilderness Society.
“The Wilderness Society joins with the majority of Arizonans across the state and across the political spectrum who support the prudent action of protecting the greater Grand Canyon region," Quigley told KAWC. "Passage of the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act today is a good thing for Arizona and a good thing for the nation.”
The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate.
Arizona Democratic Party leaders have said U.S. Senator Martha McSally has not commented on whether she supports the anti-mining bill or not.
