Save the Grand Canyon

What's New

In November, the U.S. House of Representatives moved to stop toxic mining from contaminating the Grand Canyon and other treasured lands by passing the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 (H.R. 2262). The Senate is expected to take up this proposal in the coming months, so PennEnvironment is working to ensure support from Senators Casey and Specter.

How You Can Help

Sign our email petition to Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey and Arlen Specter asking them to support HR2262 and protect the Grand Canyon and other treasured lands from toxic mining pollution by clicking here.

Background

Mining companies know that it’s against the law to set up operations in the Grand Canyon, or any national park for that matter. Yet, incredibly, federal law allows these companies to mine the land right next door to our national parks. Now, with the price of gold rising and demand for uranium growing, the mining industry is hoping to take advantage of the industry-friendly Bush administration’s final year in office, filing claims close enough to the Grand Canyon to threaten one of the worlds’ greatest natural treasures. 

In the last five years, mining companies have staked 800 claims to mine within five miles of the Grand Canyon—close enough that the cyanide and other toxic chemicals they use in the mining process could run into nearby streams that feed the Colorado River, and the trails and wild lands that surround it. According to the EPA, mining waste has polluted 40 percent of the watersheds that provide western communities with drinking water.

and our national parks. PennEnvironment is working to make sure that our elected officials take the necessary steps to protect the Grand Canyon  We’re asking Pennsylvania’s senators Bob Casey and Arlen Specter to support legislation already passed by the U.S. House, HR2262 which will include strong protections for our national parks when reauthorizing the federal Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act.

Grand-Canyon-Factsheet.pdf