FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 25, 2008 Contact: Kristina Johnson415.977.5619 Congress Uses Emergency Authority to Challenge Grand Canyon UraniumMiningRadioactive Pollution Threatens Drinking Water in Major SouthwestCities Washington, D.C. - In an emergency effort to keep uranium mining frombeginning next to Grand Canyon National Park, today the House NaturalResources Committee invoked a rarely-used authority ordering the Bushadministration to immediately stop mining claims in the GrandCanyon. The measure was urged by Rep. Raul Grijlava (D-AZ), whochairs the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forest and Public Lands. The emergency mineral withdrawal would protect the watersheds flowinginto the Colorado River from radioactive uranium mine pollution, athreat to downstream drinking water for Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson,Los Angeles and San Diego. This emergency withdrawal authority has only been used four times inhistory, the last time in 1983. In every instance it was used by Rep.Morris Udall, then-Chairman of the House Interior Committee, who usedit to challenge former Interior Secretary James Watt. In March 6 of this year Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano askedInterior Secretary Kempthorne to withdraw the Grand Canyon area frommining, but the administration refused to do so without aCongressional request. Several Native American tribes, including thenation's largest, the Navajo Nation, have also called for a halt touranium mining. So has Coconino County, where most of the mineswould be located. Statement of Sierra Club Southwest Regional Director Rob Smith Congress has been forced to take emergency measures to stop the Bushadministration from jeopardizing this iconic national park withradioactive uranium pollution. Thousands of mining claims have been staked on public land surroundingthe Grand Canyon in the last few years with minimal environmentalreview. Nearby communities have already suffered disease and death from pasturanium mine pollution. If the Bush administration fails to act, itwill jeopardize drinking water for millions of people in Phoenix, LasVegas and southern California. Congress needs to protect the Grand Canyon and Colorado River becausethe Bush Administration won't. ### - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/