State Republican officials blasted President Joe Biden’s designation of nearly a million acres near the Grand Canyon as a national monument during a public meeting yesterday.
Capitol Media Services reports that they called the designation of Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument “unnecessary” given a 20-year federal moratorium on new uranium mining claims that won't expire until 2032 and existing protections for sites Native American tribes consider culturally significant.
Mohave County officials also slammed the Biden administration for holding two public meetings on the monument in Democrat-led Coconino County while completely bypassing their Republican-governed county, which is home to a little less than half of the new monument.
They also claim it will hurt the region's ranchers, miners and tax base.