On August 8, President Joe Biden signed a nationwide monument designation for the larger Grand Canyon, turning a multi-year dream by native Native American tribes and environmentalists right into a actuality. That is the fifth nationwide monument declaration of his presidency, and it protects the realm from potential uranium mining. 

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The present grazing leases and permits, searching and fishing, and mining claims within the roughly 917,000 acres of public land are additionally protected. The land is simply to the north and south of the prevailing Grand Canyon Nationwide Park and has quite a few plateaus, canyons, and tributaries that home bison, bighorn sheep, elk, and a uncommon species of cactus. It can additionally protect cultural and spiritual websites and the water sources that circulate into the Colorado River. 

Arizona tribes have been advocating for President Biden to make use of the Antiquities Act of 1906 to create a brand new nationwide monument referred to as Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni. Baaj Nwaavjo means “the place tribes roam,” for the Havasupai folks and “I’tah Kukveni” interprets to “our footprints,” for the Hopi tribe. The nationwide monument will formally be referred to as Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon Nationwide Monument.

“Right now I’m proud to make use of my authority beneath the Antiquities Act to guard virtually a million acres of land round Grand Canyon Nationwide Park as a brand new nationwide monument – to assist proper the wrongs of the previous and preserve this land … for all future generations,” Biden mentioned throughout a speech close to the Grand Canyon. “Preserving these lands is sweet not just for Arizona, however for the planet. It’s good for the financial system. It’s good for the soul of the nation. And I imagine with my core — in my core it’s the correct factor to do.

President Biden additionally tied the brand new designation to a bigger push to fight local weather change by his administration. He famous this summer time’s excessive warmth, which has been particularly punishing in locations like Phoenix, about 223 miles away from the Grand Canyon.

“Our excessive warmth is America’s primary weather-related killer. Excessive warmth kills extra folks than floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes mixed,” mentioned Biden. “And it’s threatening the farms, the forests, and the fisheries [that] many households rely on to make a residing. However none in all this want be inevitable.”

In 2012, President Barack Obama blocked new mining in federal land close by, however the protections are as a consequence of expire. Whereas this new designation would defend the realm in perpetuity, mining trade officers mentioned they are going to try to problem the brand new determination. They’re notably occupied with uranium mining, which environmental advocates are strongly towards. They’ve lengthy argued that the area solely accommodates about 1.3 p.c of the USA’ uranium reserves.

[Related: How tribal co-managing movements are transforming the conservation of public lands.]

“Many people have labored for many years to safeguard our Grand Canyon homelands from desecration by the hands of extractive, dangerous operations like uranium mining, and right this moment, with the designation of Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni, we see these lands completely protected ultimately,” Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition coordinator Carletta Tilousi mentioned in a press release, based on CNN.

Defending Arizona’s clear water provide is a high precedence with about 97 p.c of the Western state’s voters, based on a ballot by Influence Analysis. The Grand Canyon Belief says that this new transfer safeguards valuable groundwater sources which can be important to tribal and native communities and the Grand Canyon’s seeps and comes, whereas honoring the deep connections that Native peoples must the Grand Canyon area. 

The monument was proposed by the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Las Vegas Tribe of Paiutes, Moapa Band of Paiute Indians, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Shivwits Band of Paiutes, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Zuni Tribe, and Colorado River Indian Tribes. 

Arizona lawmakers, together with Consultant Raùl Grijalva and Senator Kyrsten Sinema, have additionally advocated for the lands surrounding the Grand Canyon be protected.