Almost 1 million acres of land near the Grand Canyon will now be protected from mining and extraction as part of the country’s newest national monument.
The rumored new national monument near the Grand Canyon was made a reality by President Biden on Tuesday, reports Debra Utacia Krol in Arizona Republic. The new monument encompasses lands sacred to the local Havasu 'Baaja tribe and will be called Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.
“These are places of prayer for the Havasupai, who have long fought to regain some control over the places and to protect them from overuse and mineral extraction,” Krol adds. Yet the group has long been barred from stewarding the land. “The lands they once held and cared for were open to anybody, including mineral hunters and recreationists. Several mineral claims were established, as were campgrounds, forest roads and visitor infrastructure.”
Since the U.S. government first appropriated the land, the tribe continued to fight for its protection, advocating for a national monument that would prevent future mining operations. “Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, said during a press call Monday that the new Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument would rectify an injustice committed against Native peoples in the area.”
Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni is President Biden’s fifth national monument, joining the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Illinois and Mississippi, the Castner Range National Monument in Texas, Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada, and the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument in Colorado.
FULL STORY: President Biden announced new monument at Red Butte. Here's why it is sacred to tribes
Grand Canyon Area Could Gain New National Monument
The Biden administration has signaled support for a proposed national monument that would protect Native American lands around the Grand Canyon from uranium mining.
Public Lands in the United States, Part One: “Redeemed From Wilderness”
This is part one in a blog series examining the history of public lands in the United States and their shifting role in the American psyche.
Public Lands Rule Would Center Conservation
After decades of protecting extractive interests, federal law could reverse course and put conservation on par with other uses.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
