In a landmark decision made this week, the Obama administration has formally banned new hard rock mining claims near the Grand Canyon for the next twenty years. The area of roughly one million acres is sought after by mining companies because of the high-grade uranium ore reserves.
While the ban is seen as a win by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, environmental and preservation groups, and Democratic politicians, those in the mining industry and on the other side of the aisle are saying that the ban hinders job creation in the area. Senator John McCain even went so far as to say that the ban was a “devastating blow to job creation in northern Arizona.”
Those are some pretty bold words, considering that the Grand Canyon area is one of the top tourist destinations in the country. Marring the natural landscape with mining claims is likely to have taken away some of the natural wonder of the area, as many supporters of the ban believed.
The mining industry has had its eye on the area for quite some time. With about 40-percent of the country’s known uranium reserves, the area is worth tens of billions of dollars if it contains as much uranium ore as they claim.
While the new ban will prevent any new mining claims from starting up in the area, there are about 3,000 current claims that will not be affected by the ban. It’s estimated that of these 3,000 claims, only a handful will actually be developed into mines.
When it comes down to it, the ban on mining claims will only reduce the overall uranium production in our country by six percent. And the devastating blow to job creation? About 450 jobs total will not be created because of the mining ban–much less than the public was led to believe by those against the ban. Is the creation of less than 500 jobs worth the risk of polluting and destroying the drinking water, when over 26 million people in four states rely on the water from the Colorado River for drinking? I’m not so sure it is.
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