Attorney General Mayes calls for updated environmental impact study on Pinyon Plain Mine
PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes has officially requested that the U.S. Forest Service conduct a supplemental Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for the Pinyon Plain Uranium Mine. The request was made in a letter sent earlier today.
"The most recent environmental impact study on this mine is nearly four decades old and relies on outdated data," said Attorney General Mayes. "With scientific advancements in the 21st century and new insights into aquifer connectivity, it is critical that the U.S. Forest Service conduct a supplemental study for the Pinyon Plain Mine. We must protect the water supplies that sustain the Havasupai Tribe and other communities in Northern Arizona. The risks are too great to ignore, and the consequences of inaction could be devastating for this region's people, wildlife, and cultural heritage."
The Attorney General's letter highlighted the need for an updated evaluation of the mine's potential risks to groundwater supplies across northern Arizona, including potential dangers posed by the mine to the Coconino and Redwall-Muav Aquifers, vital water sources for communities such as the Havasupai Tribe.