The president will make the announcement in Arizona on Tuesday. The designation protects lands that are sacred to indigenous peoples and blocks new uranium mine claims.
President Biden is designating a new national monument near the Grand Canyon on Tuesday. The move protects lands that are sacred to indigenous peoples and permanently bans new uranium mining claims in the area. It covers nearly 1 million acres.
The president will give remarks at the Historic Red Butte Airfield in Arizona at 11 a.m. local time before visiting the Grand Canyon.
Tuesday’s announcement is part of a trip that will include New Mexico and Utah, where Biden is expected to make the case for how he’s tackling the climate and economic challenges facing Americans in the West.The monument follows a years-long effort
In the Grand Canyon, tribal nations and conservationists have been calling for additional protections in the area for years, as KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius has reported.
A recent statewide poll showed broad support for the proposal, though local ranchers who have worked the land for generations have concerns.
