Posted on 01/09/2012 10:38:36 AM PST by Hunton Peck
The Obama administration announced a federal ban Monday on new mining claims affecting a million acres near the Grand Canyon, an area known to be rich in high-grade uranium ore reserves.
In doing so, the administration brushed off pressure from congressional Republicans and mining industry figures who wanted a policy change.
At an early afternoon event, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a 20-year ban on new mining claims on public land surrounding the Grand Canyon. On two previous occasions the secretary had imposed temporary bans on new mining claims. On Monday, he said that while uranium remains an important part of a comprehensive energy strategy, the Grand Canyon is a national treasure that must be protected.
***
Republican members of Arizona's congressional delegation have lambasted temporary bans imposed by Salazar in 2009 and again last year. They say a permanent ban on the filing of new mining claims would eliminate hundreds of jobs and unravel decades of responsible resource development. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and other GOP lawmakers are backing legislation to prevent Salazar from moving forward with the 20-year ban.
"The secretary's decision to rule out mining on more than one million acres of federal land deprives the United States of energy and minerals critically important to its economy and does so without compelling scientific evidence that is necessary for such a far-reaching measure," said Hal Quinn, president and CEO of the National Mining Association.
***
Salazar said the ban would not affect more than 3,000 mining claims already staked in the area near the Grand Canyon.
The Bush administration had opened up the land to new mining claims. Salazar reversed the Bush policy in 2009 and called for a two-year moratorium on new mining claims around the canyon. He followed up with a six-month extension last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Previous story on the moratorium: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2737388/posts
Ping.
Which hopefully will turn into a one year ban if we get a president in the Whitehouse next year that doesn't seek to destroy American industry.
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
I say ban the bans.
At the current time, we are little more than the United States of Obama’s Czars. As an aside, modern uranium mining is basically a field of injection and recovery wells and a modest chemical recovery plant. Less of an environmental footprint than a hillside of windmills. He’s intentionally hobbling US access to raw materials needed for domestic energy production, plain and simple.
SaladCzar should be out if/when Barry is out.(I would hope)
“SaladCzar”
LOL!
...but, I thought Moochelle was the salad czar...
Clinton put this "Monument" off limits for mining as a payback for the campaign contributions of Rydia and their Indonesian coal mines.
Plus Clinton gained a measure of revenge to punish Utah because every county in the state voted against him.
Why is the Chicagoland 0bama pulling this stunt?
Punishing Arizona and/or a political pay off for _______????
Obama is doing everything he can to absolutely halt all American jobs, put all Americans on the government dole and will soon open huge camps for the poor and needy..wha, wha, who stole my tinfoil hat? But again, what is happening is not a tinnfoil hat attack, it’s reality.
Another shot at Arizona's economy by the Marxists in chief.
Let’s turn the District of Corruption into an open pit mine. You can bet $oro$ owns a uranium mine somewhere in the world.
Pray for America
I think you need to read up on a breeder reactor, sea water contains enough fuel to last until the sun burns out.
“near the Grand Canyon” = West of the Mississippi...
No kidding, just how near is this proposed mine to the Grand Canyon, in Montana?
That Trillion-Dollar Ripoff-- Clinton's Utah Coal Deal
How the disgraced James Riady, barred from travel to the U.S., made it back
Thanks, Nachum.
:)
Do you have any information as to how many power plants in Florida and other states are importing Indonesian coal ?
BTW, I have an Alarm System, Some Big Dogs and grandpa's old Double Barrel Shotgun loaded with 00 Buck Shot in case all else fails. :)
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