New National Monument Protects Grand Canyon Region from Uranium Mining

On August 8, President Biden designated the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, providing permanent protection for nearly a million acres of land against uranium mining and industrial threats. This designation replaces a temporary 20-year ban on new mining claims that was set to expire in 2032. The monument protects ancestral homelands of multiple Native Tribes, safeguards the Colorado River watershed—which provides water for 40 million people—and preserves biodiversity, including the critically endangered California condor. While the designation prevents new claims, some existing mines in the region may still operate.

• President Biden designated the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument on August 8, placing nearly a million acres of land off limits to uranium mining and other industrial threats.
• The new monument provides permanent protections that replace a 20-year ban on new uranium mining claims established in 2012, which would have expired in 2032.
• The protected area is critical for the Colorado River watershed, which supplies water to 40 million people who are currently facing a water crisis caused by climate change.
• Prior to the monument's designation, there were nearly 600 active mining claims staked near Grand Canyon National Park, posing risks of toxic radioactive waste contamination.
• Despite the new designation, some existing mines in the region are still permitted to continue their operations.

APA

Earthjustice (2023). New National Monument Protects Grand Canyon Region from Uranium Mining. https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/new-national-monument-protects-grand-canyon-region-from-uranium-mining

Chicago

Earthjustice. New National Monument Protects Grand Canyon Region from Uranium Mining. 2023. https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/new-national-monument-protects-grand-canyon-region-from-uranium-mining.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=New National Monument Protects Grand Canyon Region from Uranium Mining |date=8 August 2023 |url=https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/new-national-monument-protects-grand-canyon-region-from-uranium-mining |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2023new, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{New National Monument Protects Grand Canyon Region from Uranium Mining}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2023}, month = aug, url = {https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/new-national-monument-protects-grand-canyon-region-from-uranium-mining}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }