Foreign Desk: US President Joe Biden is preparing to declare the Pag Navajo Eta Coquini Grand Canyon National Monument, securing a wide area around the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
This historic decision covers nearly 1 million acres (404,700 ha) and includes many indigenous cultural sites. It also imposes strict restrictions on mining activities within the designated area.
The New National Monument, also known as the Ancestral Footprints of Grand Canyon National Monument, holds enormous cultural significance for such tribal nations as the Hopi peoples, Navajo, and Yavapai Apache.
Indigenous advocacy groups and environmental organizations have long advocated for their protection.
However, this effort has faced opposition from some Republican lawmakers and members of the mining industry, who stress the economic and national security importance of mining in the region.
The memorial area contains approximately 1.3% of the known uranium reserves in the United States.
Previous efforts to secure national monument status under President Barack Obama faced opposition from then-governor Doug Ducey and Arizona senators.
Home Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet Secretary in the United States, called the announcement “historic”. The decision, which was guided by the Antiquities Act of 1906, underscores President Biden’s commitment to preserving important sites.
The current governor of Arizona, Katie Hobbs, along with various interest groups, has urged President Biden to designate the area as a national monument.
Not only does the declaration protect the land, but it also allows only two approved mining operations within its borders. Current claims that a mining moratorium put in place in 2012 will allow it to continue.
President Biden’s announcement adds to his legacy of preserving natural and historical treasures.
Since the enactment of the Antiquities Act, 18 US presidents have used it to protect important sites across the country. This initiative is in line with Biden’s previous National Archaeological Appointments and his ongoing efforts to prioritize preservation.