>>> PRESIDENT TRUMP DISMANTLED A NUMBER OF OBAMA ERA INITIATIVES
DURING HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE,
AND THAT COULD EVENTUALLY
INCLUDE A BAN ON URANIUM MINING
NEAR THE GRAND CANYON.
VANESSA BARCHFIELD BRINGS US THE
STORY.
STORY. >>> THE MINE IS LOCATED AT THE
END OF A DIRT ROAD IN THE
NATIONAL FOREST.
NATIONAL FOREST. ABOUT SIX MILES SOUTH OF THE
GRAND CANYON.
GRAND CANYON. DEEP BELOW THE MUDDY SURFACE,
THE EARTH HERE IS RICH WITH
URANIUM.
URANIUM. TODAY IT'S THE ONLY WORKING
URANIUM MINE ON THE LAND
SURROUNDING THE GRAND CANYON.
AND, IN FACT, NO URANIUM IS
BEING EXTRACTED YET.
CANYON MINE IS STILL UNDER
CONSTRUCTION.
CONSTRUCTION. ITS EXISTENCE IS A MAJOR POINT
OF CONTENTION BETWEEN
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, TRIBES,
THE MINING INDUSTRY, AND LOCAL
AND FEDERAL ENTITIES.
BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, A
LITTLE HISTORY.
LITTLE HISTORY. IN THE YEARS AFTER WORLD WAR II
AND THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COLD
WAR, THE U.S. WAS RACING TO
DEVELOP AN ARSENAL OF NUCLEAR
WEAPONS.
WEAPONS. THAT LED TO A MASSIVE BOOM IN
URANIUM MINING.
URANIUM MINING. >> A LOT OF THESE MINES WERE ON
THE NAVAJO NATION, AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE GOT RICH, AND A LOT OF
NAVAJO GOT SICK.
>> BACK IN THE 1950s AND '60s,
THERE WASN'T ANY REGULATION SO
TO SPEAK ON URANIUM MINING.
IT WAS BASICALLY A BUNCH OF
UNVENTILATED, DIRTY LITTLE HOLES
IN THE GROUND.
MINERS WERE EXPOSED TO RADON
GAS, UNSAFE MINING CONDITIONS
UNDERGROUND.
UNDERGROUND. >> WHEN COMPANIES LEFT, THEY
SIMPLY ABANDONED THEIR MINES,
WITHOUT CLEANING THEM UP, WHICH
HAS LED TO A LONG LEGACY OF
WATER CONTAMINATION ON THE
RESERVATION.
RESERVATION. BY THE 1970s, MOST OF THE
URANIUM BEING MINED AROUND THE
WORLD WAS USED IN NUCLEAR POWER
PLANTS, AND FRANK BAIN SAYS THE
MINING INDUSTRY CLEANED ITSELF
UP.
UP. >> THE MODERN INDUSTRY IS HIGHLY
REGULATED.
REGULATED. THE HEALTH OF THE MINERS IS A
VERY HIGH PRIORITY-TYPE THING
FOR THE MINING COMPANIES TO BE
LOOKING AFTER.
LOOKING AFTER. >> OVER THE DECADES, THE PRICE
OF URANIUM HAS BEEN HIGHLY
VOLATILE.
VOLATILE. A SPIKE IN PRICES IN THE
MID-2000s LED TO A FLURRY OF
COMPANIES STAKING CLAIMS FOR
URANIUM MINES ON THE PUBLIC
LANDS NEAR THE GRAND CANYON.
A COALITION OF GROUPS BANDED
TOGETHER TO LOBBY THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION TO INTERVENE.
>> THE INTERIOR SECRETARY UNDER
PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS PERSUADED
THAT THIS POSES TOO MUCH OF A
RISK.
RISK. >> SO IN 2012, THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION INTRODUCED A
20-YEAR WITHDRAWAL OR WE'LL CALL
IT A BAN ON NEW MINING CLAIMS ON
MORE THAN A MILLION ACRES OF
LAND NEAR THE GRAND CANYON.
11 EXISTING MINING OPERATIONS
WERE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE,
INCLUDING CANYON MINE.
OPPONENTS LIKE THE GRAND CANYON
TRUST MAKE A NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS
AGAINST THE MINE.
>> WE ARE PRAGMATICALLY OPPOSED
TO CONTAMINATING SPRINGS,
WATERWAYS AROUND THE GRAND
CANYON, AROUND THE FOUR CORNERS
AREA, AND THE HISTORY AND THE
LEGACY OF THAT CONTAMINATION IS
OUR EVIDENCE FOR BEING
CONCERNED.
CONCERNED. >> CLARK ALSO SAYS THAT THE
CANYON MINE'S PLAN OF OPERATIONS
WAS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED IN THE
MID-1980s WHEN THE MINE WAS
FIRST APPROVED.
FIRST APPROVED. THE COMPANY THAT OWNS IT, ENERGY
FUELS, PUT THE PROJECT ON HIATUS
BETWEEN THEN AND 2012, YET THE
PLANS HAVEN'T CHANGED.
>> TWO OF OUR STRONGEST
SUPPORTERS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF
CANYON MINE IS THE FOREST
SERVICE AND THE ARIZONA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU
THAT NEITHER OF THOSE GROUPS
WOULD ALLOW THE CANYON MINE TO
GO FORWARD IF THEY THOUGHT THERE
WAS GOING TO BE ANY RISK TO THE
ENVIRONMENT.
ENVIRONMENT. >> NOW, SCIENTISTS AT THE UNITED
STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY HAVE
SAID THEIR ABILITY TO STUDY THE
RISKS TO THE ENVIRONMENT HAS
BEEN HINDERED BY INCONSISTENT
FEDERAL FUNDING, AND THERE'S
STILL SIGNIFICANT UNKNOWNS WHEN
IT COMES TO THE IMPACT THAT
URANIUM MINING HAS ON
GROUNDWATER.
GROUNDWATER. THE GRAND CANYON TRUST'S ROGER
CLARK IS MORE CERTAIN ABOUT THE
RISKS.
RISKS. >> THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR.
URANIUM MINING CONTAMINATES
SURFACE, GROUND, AND THE
GROUNDWATER, AND THERE'S NO WAY
TO ENTIRELY AVOID THAT AND TO
MITIGATE IT.
MITIGATE IT. >> THE GRAND CANYON WATERSHED
PROVIDES DRINKING WATER TO
APPROXIMATELY 25 MILLION PEOPLE.
>> THAT'S BECAUSE IT FEEDS INTO
THE COLORADO RIVER.
MARK CHAUL MER SAYS URANIUM IS
ALREADY NATURALLY ERODING INTO
THE COLORADO AND NOT BECAUSE OF
MINING.
MINING. >> WHEN YOU'RE IN THE GRAND
CANYON, THERE'S ACTUALLY A
NUMBER OF PLACES YOU AND GO OUT
AND TOUCH URANIUM RIGHT ON THE
EDGE OF THE CANYON WALLS THAT IS
CURRENTLY ERODING INTO THE
COLORADO.
COLORADO. >> ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SAY IT'S
NOT THE NATURALLY OCCURRING
URANIUM THAT WORRIES THEM.
>> THEY HAVE THE SUE PIE PEOPLE
WHOSE SOLE SOURCE OF WATER IS
THE GROUNDWATER BENEATH CANYON
MINE ARE REALLY IN A POSITION OF
BEING GUINEA PIGS.
>> WE ARE OPPOSED TO CANYON MINE
FOR MANY REASONS.
ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT IT IS
LOCATED RIGHT ABOVE OUR WATER
SOURCE.
SOURCE. >> MINING CONSULTANT FRANK BAIN
SAYS THE RISK TO THE AQUIFER IS
BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION.
>> I DON'T BUY THAT.
I DON'T SEE THE DIRECT LINK
BETWEEN THE URANIUM MINES AND A
WATER TABLE THAT'S 1,000 FEET
DEEPER.
DEEPER. >> IF THE WATER WAS TO BE
CONTAMINATED, WE BELIEVE THAT
THE EXISTENCE OF THE SUPAI WILL
DISAPPEAR.
DISAPPEAR. >> THERE IS NO POTENTIAL RISK
FOR THE CANYON MINE TO
CONTAMINATE THE WATER AT
HAVASUPAI.
HAVASUPAI. ZERO, NONE.
ZERO, NONE. >> SHE SAYS IT'S ALREADY
DESECRATING TO THE SACRED SITE.
>> WE HAVE EVIDENCE TO PROVE
THAT THERE IS A LOT OF ROCK
WRITINGS, POTTERY SHARDS,
ANCIENT TRAILS, INCLUDING BURIAL
SITES IN THAT AREA THAT WE'RE
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, AND WE
WANT THOSE AREAS TO BE
PROTECTED.
PROTECTED. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE
ARE NOT GOING TO HARM THE
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES OR THE
NAVAJOS, THE HAVASUPAIS, AND
WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO
HARM THE GRAND CANYON.
>> BUT MINING'S IMPACT IS A
POINT OF CONTENTION FOR THE
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
WHICH HAS LONG OPPOSED MINING IN
THE AREA.
THE AREA. >> WE BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT
THOSE WHO TAKE THE RISKS OF
URANIUM MINING, ARE OUR
RESIDENTS, OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS,
AND THOSE THAT TAKE THE BENEFITS
DO NOT TYPICALLY LIVE HERE, AND
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT
THESE ASSETS FOR OUR LOCAL
ECONOMIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
>> ENERGY FUELS' MARK CHALMERS
SAYS THERE'S A LOT OF FOCUS ON
THE NEGATIVES OF CANYON MINE.
>> AND THERE'S A HECK OF A LOT
OF POSITIVES ABOUT THE CANYON
MINE, AND ONE IS CLEAN ENERGY.
>> HE POINTS TO THE FACT THAT
URANIUM IS USED IN THE NUCLEAR
POWER PLANTS THAT GENERATE 20%
OF THE ELECTRICITY IN THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. ROGER CLARK AT THE GRAND CANYON
TRUST SAYS THOUGH NUCLEAR'S
CARBON FOOTPRINT IS LESS THAN
COAL'S, THAT'S NOT THE FULL
PICTURE.
PICTURE. >> IT STILL TAKES FOSSIL FUELS
TO MINE, TO MOVE, AND TO PROVIDE
THAT SERVICE.
THAT SERVICE. >> AND HE SAYS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS STILL BEARING THE
COST OF CLEANING UP MORE THAN
500 CONTAMINATED MINES ON THE
NAVAJO RESERVATION.
NAVAJO RESERVATION. >> THEN ON THE TAIL END, WHAT DO
YOU DO WITH THE NUCLEAR WASTE,
AND WHERE DOES THAT GO, AND WHO
IS GOING TO PAY FOR MANAGING AND
CONTAINING THAT FOR THE NEXT
10,000 YEARS?
10,000 YEARS? >> NOW, REMEMBER EARLIER WHEN WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
VOLATILITY OF URANIUM PRICES?
WELL, TODAY THEY'RE EXTREMELY
LOW, IN PART BECAUSE JAPAN SHUT
DOWN ITS NUCLEAR REACTORS AFTER
THE DISASTER AT FUKUSHIMA.
>> THERE'S THIS BIG GLUT OF
URANIUM ON THE WORLD MARKET NOW,
AND NOBODY IS USING IT, AND THE
PRICE HAS BASICALLY GONE FROM
$130 OR $140 A POUND DOWN TO
$20.
$20. AT $20 A POUND, YOU CAN'T AFFORD
TO MINE URANIUM.
I THINK URANIUM MINING AROUND
HERE IS DEAD.
>> I THINK MR. BAIN'S CONCLUSION
THAT THE URANIUM INDUSTRY IS
DEAD IS PREMATURE, AND HE KNOWS
AS WELL AS ANYONE ELSE THAT
WATCHES THE MARKET THAT IT'S
CYCLING.
CYCLING. IT'S ON A DOWN CYCLE RIGHT NOW,
BUT IT COULD BE BACK THIS YEAR.
>> AND ENERGY FUELS IS BETTING
ON URANIUM PRICES REBOUNDING.
MARK CHALMERS SAYS RIGHT NOW
PRICES ARE TOO LOW FOR HIS
COMPANY TO EXTRACT ANY URANIUM
FROM CANYON MINE.
>> MOST OF THE WORLD PRODUCERS
OF URANIUM NEED PRICES IN THE
ORDER OF $50 PER POUND TO MAKE
THEM PROFITABLE TO GO FORWARD.
>> AS ENERGY FUELS WAITS FOR
PRICES TO TREND UPWARD, THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS NOW
CONSIDERING REVERSING A 20-YEAR
BAN, FOLLOWING A RECOMMENDATION
LAST YEAR FROM THE U.S. FOREST
SERVICE.
SERVICE. ROGER CLARK SAYS HIS GROUP IS
CONCERNED THE BAN WILL BE
OVERTURNED.
OVERTURNED. >> IT WOULD ALLOW AN
INDETERMINATE NUMBER OF URANIUM
CLAIMS TO MOVE FORWARD AND
BECOME MINED IN THOSE WATERSHEDS
THAT DRAIN DIRECTLY INTO THE
GRAND CANYON.
GRAND CANYON. >> HIS ORGANIZATION AND OTHER
GROUPS SAY THEY'LL CONTINUE TO
FIGHT TO KEEP MINING OUT OF THE
REGION.
REGION. AS THE DEBATE GOES ON, ENERGY
FUELS CONTINUES WORK ON
DEVELOPING CANYON MINE.
ITS SHAFT GOES A BIT DEEPER INTO
THE GROUND EACH DAY.
>>> BEFORE WE GO, A LOOK AT