Actions to Protect AZ Water this week at the AZ State Legislature

This week there are some bills that could affect our water being heard at the state legislature.

The first action requires a quick phone call. Please, take a couple minutes to call your state Representatives before it goes to a vote (which could be any day.) The rest of the bills are being heard in committee. If you have registered for the Request to Speak, you can sign in on the system on the Arizona Legislature Website.  You can weigh in on RTS anytime before or during that meeting. (See info below.)

PHONE ACTION:

There was a recent attempt to resurrect one of several bad water bills in the House. HB2609 Harquahala non-expansion area; groundwater transfer (Petersen: Cook) allows private water companies in the Harquahala Irrigation Non-expansion area (west of the Phoenix area) to withdraw water to a depth of 1,500 feet rather than 1,000 feet and transport it into an active management area. This violates the spirit, if not the letter, of the 1980 Arizona Groundwater Code and sets a terrible precedent for bypassing statewide groundwater management by importing water from areas outside the Active Management Areas. Speaker of the House, Rusty Bowers, is leading the effort to jam this through over the objections of La Paz County and any who are concerned about further privatizing water. Please call your representatives and ask them to oppose HB2609. If they say they are opposing it, thank them.

To find out who your Rep is, find your district: 

https://azredistricting.org/districtlocator/

Use that district to find the contact information for your Rep.

https://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster/

REQUEST TO SPEAK ACTIONS:

If you have registered for Request to Speak, this is your opportunity to weigh in on the following bills this week.   (See directions on RTS here.) 

(To register for a Request to Speak account: http://www.cebv.us/. NOTE: It may take a day or two for someone to go to the capitol to sign you up, so do it now so you can still participate on Wednesday or Thursday.) 

Wednesday, March 20th

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy at 2:00 PM

• HCM2003 uranium pollution; remediation (Thorpe) includes inaccurate information about uranium mining, turning it into a promotional for the mining industry. Encouraging cleanup is something we do support, but this memorial does not reference the need to get the mining companies to clean up their own messes, plus it says that there are no issues with "modern" uranium mining. (The current practice is for mines to become limited liability companies so they aren't held responsible to clean up their own toxic tailings that seep into our waterways). OPPOSE.

Thursday, March 21st
Senate Committee on Water and Agriculture at 9:00 AM

• HB2475 water use; criminal penalty; wells (Bowers) says if you take someone else's water via a well, it is no longer a misdemeanor. This includes the subsurface flows of streams and rivers. Essentially, this would keep the law making it illegal to steal someone else’s water when it is on the surface, but legal to steal it if it’s below the surface. OPPOSE.

NOTE: I've found it easiest just to do all of the Request to Speak bills while I am in the system. Just click "another request." 

Tell Congress: Permanently protect the Grand Canyon from uranium mining

(notice the river just below)

The petition to Congress reads: "Pass the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act to permanently protect the Grand Canyon and nearby areas from uranium and other mining activities." Add your name:

Although the Obama administration issued a 20-year moratorium on mining at the Grand Canyon because of the danger it posed to wildlife, water and sacred Native sites, the uranium mining industry sees an opportunity with a new administration to overturn the ban and restart mining in one of our nation's most precious and fragile areas.The Grand Canyon, one of our nation's most iconic national parks, turned 100 years old this year, yet mining special interests – with the help of the Trump administration – are clamoring to start exploiting its natural resources for profit and pollute the environment with radioactive material. But we can stop them. New legislation recently introduced by progressive champion Rep. Raul Grijalva would permanently protect the Grand Canyon and the areas around it from uranium mining and other destructive extractive activity.1 We must build massive public support to ensure Congress passes this incredibly important legislation immediately. Tell Congress: Permanently protect the Grand Canyon from uranium mining. Click here to sign the petition. For more than 50 years, the mining industry has extracted millions of tons of uranium ore from the Grand Canyon area and left behind toxic pollution that continues to threaten plants, animals, scarce groundwater supplies and sacred tribal sites.2 Unbelievably, for the last 20 years, tourists who visited Grand Canyon National Park may have been unknowingly exposed to dangerous levels of radiation caused by improperly stored uranium.3 Eager to restart mining in the area, the uranium mining industry – with the support of Western state Republicans in Congress who are intent on handing over public lands to Big Oil and other extractive companies – challenged the Obama administration's moratorium in a protracted legal battle, but ultimately lost late last year.4 This was a huge victory for Native leaders, environmentalists and public lands advocates, but the fight is far from over: The Trump administration could now easily rescind the ban via executive order.5 That's why Rep. Grijalva's bill is so important. The Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act would permanently protect approximately 1 million acres in and around the Grand Canyon from extractive mining activities and has broad support from a coalition of environmental and conservation groups, elected officials and Native leaders from the Havasupai and Hopi tribes and the Navajo Nation.6 As Clark Tenakhongva, vice chairman of the Hopi Tribe, put it, "The legacy of uranium mining has devastated the people and the land, and continues to destroy the land and lives of Hopisinom, Native Americans, and Americans alike."7 We must demand that Congress protect the Grand Canyon area from mining activities permanently. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/grand-canyon-mining?t=9&akid=31852%2E3130208%2EymFyTt - Josh Nelson, CREDO Action Add your name: References Kathleen B. Kunz, "Rep. Grijalva Wants a Permanent Moratorium on Mining Near the Grand Canyon," Tucson Weekly, Feb. 25, 2019. Grand Canyon Trust, "Uranium Mining," accessed March 8, 2019. Dennis Wagner, "Grand Canyon tourists exposed for years to radiation in museum building, safety manager says," Arizona Republic, Feb. 18, 2019. Amber Reimondo, "A Huge Legal Victory, But We’re Not Done Yet," Grand Canyon Trust, Oct. 3, 2018. Joanna Walters, "Grand Canyon uranium mining ban upheld as supreme court declines to hear challenge," The Guardian, Oct. 1, 2018. House Committee on Natural Resources, "Chair Grijalva Formally Introduces Bill to Protect Grand Canyon Area From New Mining Claims – Effort Enjoys Extraordinary Grassroots, Tribal Support," Feb. 26, 2019.

Tell your Representative: Don't allow mining to pollute Boundary Waters Wilderness

TAKE ACTION  Speak out to defend Boundary Waters!

A small but vocal group of representatives in the U.S. House are encouraging President Trump to allow foreign companies to set up mining operations in some of the nation's most iconic wild places.

Not only are they pushing for mining around the rim of the Grand Canyon, they are also targeting the beloved Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota.

Take action: Tell your Representative to defend Boundary Waters.

As the most frequently visited wilderness in our country, Boundary Waters is a national treasure. Its vast system of more than 1,000 lakes and rivers provides endless canoe, kayaking and fishing adventures. But this interconnected water system also makes the area especially sensitive to toxic pollution that would be introduced by nearby mining.

It's important that this destructive idea does not catch on in Congress! Tell your Representative to oppose mining on the edge of Boundary Waters Wilderness and other special wild places.

- The Wilderness Society 

Tell the Trump administration: No uranium mining in the Grand Canyon

number one tourist spot?

The petition to the Trump administration reads:
"Do not open the Grand Canyon to new uranium mining leases."

Add your name:

Trump has declared war on our national monuments, and it doesn't stop with slashing the size of the irreplaceable Bears Ears and Grand Staircase monuments. It’s just as unbelievable that we now have to protect one of America’s most precious national treasures – the Grand Canyon – from something as dangerous and destructive as radioactive uranium mining. But that’s exactly what we have to do right now.

Thanks to an executive order from Donald Trump, the U.S. Forest Service has taken the first step toward ending a 20-year moratorium on uranium mining in the Grand Canyon watershed. Uranium mining would threaten ancient forests, Native American communities and the Colorado River – a source of drinking water for millions.

We must push back now on this dangerous and misguided proposal.

Tell the Trump regime: Don't allow destructive uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. Click here to sign the petition.

This March, Trump signed an executive order telling federal agencies to review their rules to find ways to allow more destructive oil drilling, natural gas fracking, and coal and uranium mining. In response, the U.S. Forest Service has proposed ending a ban on uranium mining in and around Grand Canyon National Park.¹ The Obama administration enacted a moratorium in 2012 that was intended to last for 20 years, but now the Trump administration could lift the moratorium at any time.

Uranium mining would threaten the land, water and communities around the Grand Canyon. The Havasupai Tribe, who live at the bottom of the canyon, use water from the canyon's seeps and springs to water their beans, corn, melon and other crops.² Mining around the canyon could release uranium pollution into the groundwater, threatening the Havasupai community's health for generations.

We know how destructive uranium can be. On the nearby Navajo Nation, where mining companies have blasted 4 million tons of uranium from more than 500 mines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found uranium already present in newborn babies.³ Uranium exposure is linked to lung cancer, bone cancer and impaired kidney function, all of which have plagued Navajo people around the mines.⁴

Uranium mining in the Grand Canyon could also threaten the health of people hundreds of miles away. The Colorado River, fed by the watershed, supplies water to 40 million people in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and other cities.⁵ It is unconscionable to risk human health by re-opening the Grand Canyon to mining uranium.

Tell the Trump regime: Don't allow destructive uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. Click here to sign the petition.

The Forest Service has admitted that the federal government will receive no revenue from any uranium mining that happens. Rather than saving money, reversing the ban on mining would actually force taxpayers to shell out funds for pro-mining studies.To get rid of the ban, the administration would have to undertake environmental studies that try to refute the scientific findings that uranium is harmful to local wildlife and communities.⁶

The Grand Canyon ecosystem is unique and incredibly complex. The Obama administration enacted a 20-year ban in part because 20 years is the estimated time required to complete an Environmental Impact Statement on such a large-scale ecosystem.⁷ Now the Trump administration wants to barrel ahead without any understanding of the harm that could be caused.

Tell the Trump regime: Don't allow destructive uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. Click the link below to sign the petition:

https://act.credoaction.com/sign/save-grand-canyon?t=8&akid=26368%2E3130208%2EzdV-vs

- Brandy Doyle
CREDO Action

Add your name:

References:

1. Erin Ford, "USFS proposes revisions to 20-year uranium mining ban," Grand Canyon News, Nov. 7, 2017.
2. Joanna Walters, "In the Grand Canyon, uranium mining threatens a tribe's survival," The Guardian, July 17, 2017.
3. Laurel Morales, "For The Navajo Nation, Uranium mining's deadly legacy lingers," NPR, April 10, 2016.
4. Susan E. Dawson, "Navajo uranium workers and the effects of occupational illnesses: A case study," Human Organization, Vol. 51, No. 4, 1992.
5. Ron Dungan, "Is uranium mining near the Grand Canyon safe? The answer may be in the water," The Republic, March 8, 2017.
6. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, "Trump administration targets uranium mining ban near Grand Canyon," Sierra Club, Nov. 1, 2017.
7. Earthjustice, "Protecting the Grand Canyon against uranium mining," accessed Nov. 13, 2017.

Sign petition: Don't open Grand Canyon to new uranium mining leases

The petition to the Trump administration reads: "Do not open the Grand Canyon to new uranium mining leases." Add your name:

It’s unbelievable that we have to protect one of America’s most precious national treasures – the Grand Canyon – from something as dangerous and destructive as radioactive uranium mining. But that’s exactly what we have to do right now. Thanks to an executive order from Donald Trump, the U.S. Forest Service has taken the first step toward ending a 20-year moratorium on uranium mining in the Grand Canyon watershed. Uranium mining would threaten ancient forests, Native American communities and the Colorado River – a source of drinking water for millions. We must push back now on this dangerous and misguided proposal. Tell the Trump regime: Don't allow destructive uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. Click here to sign the petition. This March, Trump signed an executive order telling federal agencies to review their rules to find ways to allow more destructive oil drilling, natural gas fracking, and coal and uranium mining. In response, the U.S. Forest Service has proposed ending a ban on uranium mining in and around Grand Canyon National Park.1 The Obama administration enacted a moratorium in 2012 that was intended to last for 20 years, but now the Trump administration could lift the moratorium at any time. Uranium mining would threaten the land, water and communities around the Grand Canyon. The Havasupai Tribe, who live at the bottom of the canyon, use water from the canyon's seeps and springs to water their beans, corn, melon and other crops.2 Mining around the canyon could release uranium pollution into the groundwater, threatening the Havasupai community's health for generations. We know how destructive uranium can be. On the nearby Navajo Nation, where mining companies have blasted 4 million tons of uranium from more than 500 mines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found uranium already present in newborn babies.3 Uranium exposure is linked to lung cancer, bone cancer and impaired kidney function, all of which have plagued Navajo people around the mines.4 Uranium mining in the Grand Canyon could also threaten the health of people hundreds of miles away. The Colorado River, fed by the watershed, supplies water to 40 million people in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and other cities.5 It is unconscionable to risk human health by re-opening the Grand Canyon to mining uranium. Tell the Trump regime: Don't allow destructive uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. Click here to sign the petition. The Forest Service has admitted that the federal government will receive no revenue from any uranium mining that happens. Rather than saving money, reversing the ban on mining would actually force taxpayers to shell out funds for pro-mining studies.To get rid of the ban, the administration would have to undertake environmental studies that try to refute the scientific findings that uranium is harmful to local wildlife and communities.6 The Grand Canyon ecosystem is unique and incredibly complex. The Obama administration enacted a 20-year ban in part because 20 years is the estimated time required to complete an Environmental Impact Statement on such a large-scale ecosystem.7 Now the Trump administration wants to barrel ahead without any understanding of the harm that could be caused. Tell the Trump regime: Don't allow destructive uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/save-grand-canyon?t=8&akid=26065%2E3130208%2Ev9TMDX -Brandy Doyle CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: Erin Ford, "USFS proposes revisions to 20-year uranium mining ban," Grand Canyon News, Nov. 7, 2017. Joanna Walters, "In the Grand Canyon, uranium mining threatens a tribe's survival," The Guardian, July 17, 2017. Laurel Morales, "For The Navajo Nation, Uranium mining's deadly legacy lingers," NPR, April 10, 2016. Susan E. Dawson, "Navajo uranium workers and the effects of occupational illnesses: A case study," Human Organization, Vol. 51, No. 4, 1992. Ron Dungan, "Is uranium mining near the Grand Canyon safe? The answer may be in the water," The Republic, March 8, 2017. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, "Trump administration targets uranium mining ban near Grand Canyon," Sierra Club, Nov. 1, 2017. Earthjustice, "Protecting the Grand Canyon against uranium mining," accessed Nov. 13, 2017.