(News release)
WASHINGTON D.C.— On June 21st, British uranium firm VANE Minerals sued the United States in Washington’s U.S. Court of Claims over the Department of the Interior’s January 2012 decision to protect 1 million acres of public lands around Grand Canyon National Park from new uranium mining. VANE’s suit, which claims that uranium mining in Grand Canyon’s watershed “would have no adverse impacts,” seeks up to $132 million from U.S. taxpayers. This is VANE’s second attempt to bring such a suit against the U.S.
“Leaders of the American Revolution would be horrified that British and foreign uranium firms might one day threaten our cherished national park,” said Roger Clark, Grand Canyon program director with Grand Canyon Trust, “and appalled that those companies are now claiming monetary damages for imaginary profits lost to protect Grand Canyon.”
VANE’s case threatens both the Grand Canyon mineral withdrawal and future mineral withdrawals to protect public lands. VANE seeks damages for mining claims it staked in the 1 million-acre withdrawal area that lack valid existing rights to mine. The withdrawal prohibits new mining claims and development on existing mining claims that lack valid existing rights. If the court accepts Vane’s arguments, precedent may be established that the Interior Department will face “takings” claims for any future withdrawal, even where, as here, all valid existing mineral rights have been protected. Government attorneys successfully moved to dismiss VANE’s first case making these claims in May.
“It is absolutely outrageous that a foreign mining corporation is seeking to pick the pockets of the American taxpayers to the tune of $132 million because we are protecting Grand Canyon’s watershed from destructive uranium mining,” said Sandy Bahr, chapter director for the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter. “The mineral withdrawal that prompted this lawsuit is strongly supported by Arizonans and people throughout the country.”
View VANE’s complaint here.
