GRAND CANYON — On a summer Sunday morning near the intersection of Forest Road 320 and State Route 64, more than 100 people gathered to protest the first shipments of uranium ore from a mine south of the Grand Canyon.
The protest took place at a point along the authorized route for transporting uranium ore from Energy Fuels' Pinyon Plain Mine to its White Mesa Mill near Blanding, Utah. The mining company had moved the first truckloads or unprocessed ore from the mine last Tuesday.
The vibrant scene featured volunteers distributing fruit and drinks under tents while a group of musicians performed prayer songs about water. Nearly 70 protesters stood beside each other on the roadside, holding signs that condemned uranium mining and advocated for health and environmental protection.
Among the protesters were tribal members from the Havasupai, Navajo, Hopi, and Fort Mojave tribes, local residents and environmental groups.
The protest aimed to catch the attention of drivers passing by on their way to the Canyon to enjoy the Great American Outdoors Act Day at the park. Many of them responded with supportive horn honks.
It was the latest in a wave of demonstrations since Energy Fuels began shipping uranium ore along the permitted route, which includes the Navajo Nation, without notifying local communities.
The U.S. Forest Service and local governments had requested advance notice, but the mine was not required to provide it, informing the U.S. Forest Service only after hauling had begun.
"To me, they operated covertly to travel the Navajo Nation illegally," said Navajo President Buu Nygren after the U.S. Forest Service notified him about the shipments. "It's very disappointing that they did that, that they smuggled uranium across our Nation, which is very inappropriate."
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A legacy of mistrust
Navajo laws mandate advance notice and generally oppose transporting radioactive materials across Navajo Nation lands, except to remove them from abandoned mines.
The law also asserts the Navajo Nation's right to exclude nonmembers and impose conditions on their entry onto tribal lands. Energy Fuels has defended the shipments, noting that the route falls within state and federal rights-of-way.
On Wednesday, Nygren issued an executive order mandating that Energy Fuels provide advance notice of any new shipments. He said the Department of Justice will work with the company attorneys to discuss future options.
Contamination from historic uranium mining in the Southwest, particularly within the Navajo Nation, has led to a legacy of distrust among tribes, prompting them to take action.
Navajo Nation First Lady Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren organized a rally in Cameron on Friday, followed by a march along U.S. Highway 89, part of the uranium transport route.
"I, too, have grandparents who passed from cancer from uranium exposure. We are all deeply affected by uranium. We're all affected in one way or another," she said. "Today we're standing up and saying, 'Respect our tribal sovereignty, respect our laws.' And right now, we're saying 'no.'"
After Friday's demonstration, Energy Fuels said it would voluntarily pause shipments, partly at the request of Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Despite this concession, dissatisfaction persisted. On Saturday, protesters returned to march along the same highway, while others gathered outside Flagstaff City Hall in the early evening, chanting "Haul No!" But Sunday saw the largest gathering of the weekend.
"Hopefully, it sends a strong message," said Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Club Grand Canyon chapter and one of the event's organizers. "We don't want a temporary pause in hauling. We want them to stop hauling the uranium ore and, most importantly, shut down that mine. And that's the strong message we want Governor Hobbs and President Biden to get today."
This weekend's protests were part of a longstanding opposition to the mine, previously known as Canyon Mine, by nearby tribes and groups seeking to avoid risks associated with uranium mining.
Just a month ago, about a dozen conservation advocates gathered at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix to deliver 17,557 letters demanding Gov. Hobbs to close the mine.
"We still haven't gotten any kind of response," Bahr said.
The determination to continue the fight remains strong. The tribes are persistent in their efforts, with members of all ages expressing that they have grown up fighting this battle, protecting the canyon and the communities that inhabit it.
Thursday will mark the first anniversary of the designation of Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, seen as a win for 12 Native American tribes fighting to protect the canyon against future uranium mining claims.
Pinyon Plain Mine is grandfathered under existing rights according to the 1872 Mining Law, so the national monument designation cannot revoke preexisting rights to this mine.
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'The fight started when I was little'
Dianna WhiteDove Uqualla, a member of the Havasupai tribal council, spoke about the situation with a weary yet tenacious tone. She sounded empowered to continue her ancestors' fight.
"My elders were fighting this long ago. Even before they were starting to drill into the Mother Earth," she said.
The Havasupai say their fight against the mine is rooted in advocacy for peace. Uqualla spoke with great respect for the environment, referring to water, plants, wildlife and humans, whom she called "the two-legged people." As a peace advocate, she emphasizes the importance of appreciating and protecting the interconnected elements of the world.
The people of the blue-green waters, the Havasupai, are taught that water is life, plants are medicine and the animals they hunt for food are part of a chain that connects all living things. Their traditions underscore the importance of protecting these vital resources and the sacred place they inhabit.
"Grand Canyon is a sacred altar, one of the biggest altars where you can stand. And you don't even have to have religion," she said." When you look at that vastness, you are belittled to see 'I'm just that little piece. And I got to remember that.' So this teaches you a lesson."
The tribe has several concerns regarding the mine. They fear an accident could allow water containing heavy metals to infiltrate underground aquifers, contaminating their only water source. They care about animals drinking from the impure pond inside the mine and particles traveling through the air.
The company claims those fears are unfounded and modern mining practices are "extremely safe."
"The chances of anybody's groundwater being polluted or anybody having health or environmental impacts are nil," said Curtis Moore, the company's senior vice president of marketing and corporate development.
During extraction and transportation, he said, the ore remains unprocessed and is not highly radioactive or dangerous.
The Biden administration aims toincrease domestic uranium supply for nuclear energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
"This is a critical time for the U.S. nuclear industry as we work to move away from Russian uranium and help fuel clean, carbon-free nuclear power. It is imperative that we work together for a safe and secure cleanenergyfuture," said Mark Chalmers, the company's president and chief executive, in an emailed statement.
But the communities say the mining company has not managed to establish a relationship of trust with them, especially after failing to notify them in advance of the recent start of ore transportation.
"Their word is not to be trusted," said Matthew Putesoy Sr., a Havasupai tribe member who works with the environmental program department. "They say one thing and they do another, you know? And it's been done for so long. Too many injustices done to native people all across the country."
Attorney General Kris Mayes met with Energy Fuels executives on Friday.
"Attorney General Mayes made it clear that the lack of communication and transparency from Energy Fuels to Tribal nations and local officials in northern Arizona is unacceptable," her spokesperson said.
Mayes also instructed the company to provide stakeholders with an emergency preparedness plan quickly. Local governments have repeatedly requested an emergency response plan from Energy Fuels, but the company has not yet submitted one.
Protests won't end there
Later Sunday, the weekend was nearing an end. After three hours under the sun, dancing, singing, praying and protesting, people began to put up their tents.
Children ran and laughed while someone blew bubbles at them.
The attendees thanked each other for being present and said goodbye with hugs and good wishes.
The rain clouds were approaching. The march was over, but a couple of protesters decided to go to the Grand Canyon with their signs to continue spreading the word until the rain finally fell, encouraging everyone to leave and get some rest.
Trilce Estrada Olvera writes about environmental issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send comments and story tips totrilce.estradaolvera@arizonarepublic.com.
Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
