Colorado Wilderness Act of 2021
Floor Speech
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Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the amendments contained in this en bloc package, which includes three of my own and two I offer on behalf of my good friend and colleague, Mr. Gosar.
The amendments I offer restore control to locals who not only recreate in the areas impacted by the underlying bill, but live and earn their livelihoods there, too. This is about northern Arizona and western Colorado. This is about uranium formations in Representative Gosar's district, and oil and gas in Representatives Lamborn's and Boebert's districts. This is about local governance and listening to those who live and work in the area, not just those who make it a short weekend retreat.
The amendments I offer today move control of land back to those who govern best. These amendments exempt the bill from taking effect in Arizona's Fourth, Colorado's Third, and Colorado's Fifth Congressional Districts, and require county input. Those who represent these districts were not meaningfully consulted on these bills.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the Mohave County Board of Supervisors in support of Representative Gosar's amendment No. 7. These are the folks who know best for their families, their neighbors, and their land. Mohave County Board of Supervisors, Kingman, AZ, February 24, 2021. Hon. Paul Gosar, Washington, DC.
Congressman Gosar: The Mohave County Board of Supervisors is writing to offer our support for your amendment to H.R. 803--Colorado Wilderness Act of 2021. As you know, the passage of this legislation will have a grave effect on Mohave County, Arizona, and our neighboring counties in Utah. Uranium mining in the past has been the forefront of our economic growth in Mohave County and if allowed to continue will bring in nearly $29 billion to our local economy over a 42 year period. The passage of H.R. 803 would make permanent a 2012 moratorium on uranium mining in our area. The language of your amendment would help alleviate the permanent economic loss we would sustain under the passage of H.R. 803. We strongly support the passing of this amendment as presented in the Rules Committee and the House of Representatives. Without this amendment, the financial stability of our economy in Mohave County would drastically suffer.
In 2012, the Secretary of the Interior imposed a 20 year ban on over 1 million acres of land in the Arizona Strip Area for the purpose of Uranium mining. This ban included both public lands and National Forest System lands. This ban took away much needed growth and jobs from our area. Secretary Salazar at the time issued this withdrawal without complying with the law requiring coordination with local governments. The Federal Land Policy Management Act, 43 USC Section 1711 requires that the Secretary and his designees ``coordinate'' with local government as to development and implementation of any plan or management action. Coordination is defined in the Act as requiring prior notice of proposed plans and actions to the local government officials (``prior'' meaning prior to public announcements, and early enough to provide ``meaningful'' participation by the local officials in the ``development'' of the plan or action.). The congressional mandate or coordination also requires the Secretary to use all practicable means to reach consistency between the federal plan/management action and local policy, plan or law. All of which Secretary Salazar did not do.
Making this ban permanent based on misinformation will have lasting effects on Mohave County. We respect and take a responsibility for protecting the Grand Canyon, but saying that the Grand Canyon will suffer because of mining is inaccurate. Secretary Salazar's reasoning behind the withdrawal was out of concern that it could damage the region's drinking water and the park's water quality. Bureau of Land Management officials contradicted those claims by explaining that their Arizona Strip field office had no evidence of contamination of water, and had no evidence of problems with the safe operation of the uranium mines in operation on the lands.
Uranium mining is important and useful for many reasons. The lands in the ``Strip'' contain the nation's high grade uranium deposits and enough uranium to provide power generation for the state of California for over 20 years. Uranium is useful in many ways. It is used by our military for national security and defense. Uranium metal is very dense and heavy. When it is depleted (DU), uranium is used by the military as shielding to protect Army tanks, and also in parts of bullets and missiles. The military also uses enriched uranium to power nuclear propelled Navy ships and submarines, and in nuclear weapons. A permanent withdrawal of uranium mining from the ``Strip'' harms the American people by removing between 326-375 million lbs (the equivalent electricity generating capacity for the entire state of California's 40 million people for 22.4 years) of uranium.
From a national security standpoint, domestic utilities now import 90% of the uranium used to operate America's 104 nuclear reactors. Thirty years ago, these reactors used U.S. mined uranium for 100% of electricity production. The nation cannot be pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear fuel. In sum, these deposits represent the last available use of our public lands for economic growth in our region.
The opponents of uranium mining have chosen to ignore the fact that mining with environmentally sound reclamation was conducted from the early 1980s until the price of uranium collapsed in 1993. No mining at all occurred from 1993 until 2010, and the Denison mine which is now operating, is following and often exceeding all environmental and safety laws.
Arizona needs to go back to the roots that led to Arizona being developed, and that is mining. The strict federal and state environmental laws already on the books will protect the public from environmental damage to the Grand Canyon watershed. The mining of uranium however does not affect ground water nor destroy the natural resources of the land. It does not require open pit mining. Upon completion of mining one Breccia Pipe (4 years) the land is placed back into its native state.
We want to thank you for putting forward this amendment. Nuclear energy can be the future of clean energy. We have the resources in this Country to ensure that happens and we have the technology and means to ensure mining that energy is both environmentally safe and protects our natural resources. We stand in support of the amendment. Sincerely, Buster Johnson, Chairman, Mohave County Board of Supervisors.
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Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this en bloc, and a ``no'' on the underlying bill.
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