Senate President Petersen: 'Our nation as a whole is suffering under the incompetence of the Biden Administration'

Senate President Petersen serves the people of Arizona | https://www.azsenaterepublicans.com/warren-petersen

By Grand Canyon Times Report

Sep 15, 2023

Senate President Warren Petersen is taking legal action against the Biden Administration for its recent land acquisition in northern Arizona. He plans to file a lawsuit by late 2023 or early 2024, aiming to contest what he calls an "unconstitutional land seizure" in Coconino and Mohave Counties. Petersen is working to identify those affected, including citizens, industries, and local governments, in order to build a coalition for the lawsuit.

House Speaker Ben Toma, also a Republican, is collaborating with Petersen and together they will retain legal counsel for the lawsuit. Petersen refers to the land acquisition as a "dictator-style land grab" and criticizes President Biden's "tyrannical intent" to impede mining and agriculture. The Biden Administration officially designated nearly 1 million acres of federal land as a national monument on August 8th.

The State Senate's press release criticizes the designation of the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, calling it a publicity move. They express concerns about the restrictions on mining and the increased reliance on foreign uranium sources. The region is significant for uranium mining, which is an important contributor to U.S. electricity generation. The creation of this monument mirrors similar actions taken in Arizona during the Clinton Administration and maintained under President Donald Trump.

The newly designated Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument holds ecological and cultural importance. It encompasses the headwaters of the Colorado River, serves as the habitat for the endangered California condor, and is the ancestral homeland of several tribes. President Biden's decision to establish this monument aligns with his commitment to conserving at least 30% of the nation's land and waters by 2030 and respects tribal sovereignty.

Republican representatives Bruce Westerman and Paul Gosar have initiated an investigation into President Biden's planned creation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni–Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. They argue that restricting uranium mining in the area would jeopardize U.S. uranium resources and make the country reliant on foreign sources. President Biden defends the creation of the monument, emphasizing the importance of learning from both positive and negative aspects of the nation's history.

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House Speaker Ben Toma, a fellow Republican, announced his collaboration with Senate President Petersen to jointly retain legal counsel for the lawsuit against what Petersen termed a "dictator-style land grab" and Biden's "tyrannical intent" to impede mining and agriculture. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, officially designated approximately 1,462 square miles, equivalent to nearly 1 million acres, of federal land in three separate areas to the south, northeast, and northwest of the national park as a national monument on August 8th.

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The State Senate's press release has criticized the designation of the Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, denouncing it as a mere publicity move and expressing concerns about heightened dependence on foreign uranium sources due to mining restrictions. This region is crucial for uranium mining, a significant contributor to U.S. electricity generation, although domestic production has waned over the years. The creation of this monument, authorized by the 1906 Antiquities Act, mirrors similar actions taken in Arizona during the Clinton Administration, which were maintained following a review prompted by a 2017 executive order by President Donald Trump.

read more here

The newly designated Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument holds significant ecological and cultural importance, encompassing the headwaters of the Colorado River, the habitat of the endangered California condor, and serving as the ancestral homeland of several tribes. "Baaj Nwaavjo" signifies "where tribes roam" in the Havasupai tribe's language, while "I’tah Kukveni" translates to "our footprints" in the Hopi tribe's language. President Biden's statement emphasizes that establishing this monument fulfills a promise to respect tribal sovereignty, preserves iconic landscapes for future generations, and aligns with his commitment to conserving at least 30% of the nation's land and waters by 2030.

read more here

Republican representatives Bruce Westerman and Paul Gosar have initiated an investigation into President Joe Biden's planned creation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni–Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, alleging an "abuse" of presidential power through the Antiquities Act. They contend that restricting uranium mining in the area, encompassing almost a million acres, would jeopardize U.S. uranium resources and make the country reliant on foreign sources. In response, President Biden emphasized the importance of learning from both the positive and negative aspects of the nation's history and defended the monument's creation.

read more here