Shut Down Pinyon Plain Mine Protest on August 27, 2024 features Dianna Uqualla, Tribal Council Member of Havasupai

Dianna Uqualla, Tribal Council Member of Havasupai, speaks during the Shut Down Pinyon Plain Mine Protest on August 27, 2024. The Havasupai Tribe, whose homeland lies within the Grand Canyon, stands on the frontlines of this fight, as the mine threatens to contaminate their sole source of water-the Havasu Creek, which nourishes the community and sustains their cultural practices. The uranium mining operations not only pose an immediate threat to the health and environment of the Havasupai but also endanger the Navajo Nation and the Ute Tribe, as the hazardous transportation of uranium ore to the White Mesa Mill in Utah exposes these communities to potential contamination. The Ute Tribe, whose lands are in dangerously close proximity to the mill, faces heightened risks from the toxic legacy of uranium processing. The Pinyon Plain Mine disregards the sacredness of the Grand Canyon and the lives of the Indigenous peoples who depend on its purity. We must act now to protect our lands, our water, and our future from these devastating impacts. 👉 @protectgrandcanyon

☢️WHAT IS PINYON PLAIN MINE☢️ @haul_no

The Pinyon Plain/Canyon Mine is a uranium mine located near Red Butte, a sacred mountain and Traditional Cultural Property only six miles from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Canadian company, Energy Fuels, is operating under a Plan of Operations and Environmental Review that date to 1986, and the Forest Service failed to properly consult with the Havasupai Tribe before allowing the mine to operate. The Havasupal Tribe, @grandcanyontrust @centerforbiodiv and @sierraclubaz have legally challenged the United States Forest Service’s decision to allow Energy Fuels Resources to reopen the Pinyon Plain/Canyon uranium mine, which was initially approved in the 1980s and had been closed since 1992. The mine can produce up to 109,500 tons of high-grade uranium ore annually and is permitted to stockpile up to 13,100 tons of ore on-site. Notably, it is located within a one-million-acre area that was withdrawn from mining in 2012 due to environmental and cultural concerns.