Nuclear Delusions

Uranium's Dirty Secret
Nuclear power requires foreign uranium — which is why the Bush administration is trying to greenlight toxic mining next to one of America's most revered landmarks

KEY: Red Outline Areas where bush wants to permit mining | Black Bullet Uranium mining claims

The U.S. currently imports 90 percent of its uranium — much of it from Russia. To get at one of the richest domestic sources, the Bureau of Land Management has moved to approve uranium mining on federal lands next to the Grand Canyon. There are now more than 10,000 mining claims along the Colorado River, threatening water supplies for more than 25 million people. When Congress tried to block the move, the BLM pulled a regulatory end run in October that would fast-track mining — and make it harder for Congress to block any future excavation.

[From Issue 1065 — November 13, 2008]

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