Arizona approves higher arsenic limit at uranium mine near Havasupai Tribe
State regulators approved the request despite objections from the Havasupai Tribe and environmental groups
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality approved a request July 6 to increase the allowable arsenic level in a groundwater monitoring well at the Pinyon Plain Mine near the Grand Canyon, according to reporting from ICT. The agency raised the aquifer quality limit for arsenic from 0.05 to 0.055 milligrams per liter at the request of Energy Fuels Resources, which operates the uranium mine. The company said the increase reflects naturally occurring conditions rather than mining activity, according to documents filed with the state.
The Havasupai Tribe opposed the change, saying in a statement that the decision weakens groundwater protections. The Sierra Club also criticized the approval, citing concerns about arsenic and uranium levels near the mine, according to the ICT reporting. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Communications Director Caroline Oppleman said the agency approved the request because it complied with state law and added public notice requirements after consulting with the tribe.
- 1.Darren Thompson. ICT, .
We provide the independent reporting that non-Native, extractive outlets often overlook. We give our communities the context and the facts they need to make informed decisions.
