Grand Canyon uranium mine: Judge rules against environmentalists - Today's News-Herald
The lawsuit filed in 2013 alleged that the U. S. Forest Service violated federal law in allowing the Canyon Mine to move forward and didn't adequately consult with the Havasupai Tribe over a sacred site near Tusayan. The Forest Service approved a plan of operation for the Canyon Mine in 1986, and officials argued that it remains valid, along with the mining claims owned by Energy Fuels Resources Inc. The company plans to restart the Canyon Mine this spring, shifting employees from a mine north of the Grand Canyon after resources there are depleted. The company is pleased that Campbell recognized that the Forest service "engaged in extensive environmental analysis and consultation regarding the project," spokesman Curtis Moore said. This mine is heavily studied, and it's well understood," Moore said. The coalition of environmental groups and the Havasupai Tribe have 60 days to challenge Campbell's ruling. Katie Davis of the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity the ruling is a blow to efforts to protect culturally significant sites and reduce the hazards and costs associated with uranium mining. Campbell said that determination wasn't a legal requirement for the Canyon Mine to resume because it already had an approved plan of operation. Source: www.havasunews.com
