History and hiking in the Southwest.

A guide to hiking and history in the Southwest.

Menu
  • Hiking
  • Angling
  • history
  • About
  • Contact
Menu

Here’s what’s at stake in the Bears Ears

Posted on December 26, 2017 by rondungan

gulch41.jpgThe region is rich with archaeology sites, remote hiking and scenic views. It’s also the site of the nation’s only fully-licensed and operating uranium mill, according to Energy Fuels Resources. The Trump administration has scaled back the size of Bears Ears National Monument and already faces lawsuits over the move.

Conservationists say that there are those in Utah that would like to keep the status quo because generations of local residents grew up pot hunting — plundering archaeological sites for artifacts. Bit another reason for reducing the monument has surfaced.

The Washington Post reported earlier this month that Energy Fuels paid $30,000 to a lobbying firm to work on the monument issue. The company also wrote a letter to the Department of Interior requesting that the agency reduce the size of the mine.

Energy Fuels said in the letter that it was concerned the monument might mean more restrictions on its trucks as the passed through the area.

In August 2016, Energy Fuels told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that trucks hauling radioactive sludge from Wyoming to White Mesa Mill in Utah had leaked.

2 thoughts on “Here’s what’s at stake in the Bears Ears”

  1. Pingback: New monuments keep feds busy – rondungan.com
  2. Pingback: Conservationists say BLM living up to its nickname: Bureau of Logging and Mining – rondungan.com

Comments are closed.

Stories

The opening piece of our water series, in which we try to look past the bathtub ring of Lake Powell. In this story, I follow a single drop of water on its journey to your tap.

Oak Creek. / Ron Dungan

https://kjzz.org/content/1792236/better-understand-arizonas-water-supply-we-retrace-its-origins

https://kjzz.org/content/1831459/while-covid-19-raged-archival-history-research-was-pushed-back-burner

The next time you're in the Marble Canyon and wonder if you can snag a permit to Coyote Buttes, you might be surprised to find that the answer is yes. No line. No early wake up call. / Ron Dungan

https://kjzz.org/content/1822075/blm-expands-use-reservation-app-coyote-buttes-south-area-permits

Apache trout. / USFWS
https://kjzz.org/content/1813132/us-fish-and-wildlife-service-recommend-delisting-endangered-apache-trout

My story for Here and Now.

A volunteer at the dog races. / Ron Dungan

https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/01/17/arizona-dog-sledders-climate

A meadow along Canyon Creek, Tonto National Forest. / Ron Dungan
https://fronterasdesk.org/content/1629386/western-fires-burn-forest-management-easier-said-done
Shop Beer Company / Ron Dungan
https://kjzz.org/content/1631717/arizona-craft-beer-finds-its-way-during-pandemic
Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge / Ron Dungan
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/best-reads/2015/04/17/edward-abbey-last-act-defiance/25930091/
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/fashion/weddings/rebecca-mackinnon-bennett-freeman-marriage.html?ref=oembed
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. / Ron Dungan

https://www.usatoday.com/border-wall/story/us-mexico-border-history/510833001/

©2023 History and hiking in the Southwest. | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes.com