Arizona representatives at both the state and federal level are vowing to fight back following President Biden’s announcement that he will lock up more than one million acres of Arizona land near the Grand Canyon.
Rep. Eli Crane and Arizona State Legislative Republicans are condemning what they say is President Biden’s “blatant government overreach of confiscating nearly a million acres of land within Coconino and Mohave Counties to designate as a “national monument” near the Grand Canyon.”
At the same time, Arizona’s senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema championed and celebrated the designation of the new Grand Canyon National Monument – the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument – with Biden, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, and U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva.
On Monday, Arizona state legislators held a special emergency meeting in Kingman where they listened to public comment and then voted to formally oppose the move that promises to adversely impact the state’s economy and national security, as well as devastating critical local industries like mining and cattle ranching.
“This thinly veiled effort to appease his radical environmental base as he campaigns for re-election will have dire consequences for all Arizonans,” said Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli. “We strongly condemn this dictator style land grab that will greatly hurt Mohave County and further limit private and state land resources needed for our economic viability.”
“Halting uranium mining in this region will only promote our country’s dependence on communist China for the minerals needed every day to support our energy supply,” said Senator Frank Carroll. “Even the FBI has sounded the alarm that China is the greatest long-term threat to our nation’s ideas, economic security and national security, yet President Biden is welcoming a greater reliance on this government with this action.”
“The Biden Administration is determined to halt mining across our country and here in Arizona, crippling our ability to meet demands,” said President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope. “We must immediately open up mining in Arizona and address other national security risks here locally that are associated with China’s influence. Shame on President Biden for putting our citizens, our resources and our economy at risk.”
“This move will have drastic implications for the livelihoods of our cattle ranchers who have relied on this land for generations,” said Majority Whip Sine Kerr. “There are no better stewards of the land than our farmers and ranchers. The fact that they were left out of the discussion process is infuriating and just wrong.”
“There was entirely insufficient notice from the Biden Administration to the residents, business owners and elected officials of Mohave County. This is not how government should conduct itself within Arizona or within the United States,” said Senator David Gowan. “We don’t need the federal government coming in and dictating to Arizonans how to protect Arizona. We’ve been doing a fine job of conserving our precious resources and will continue to do so. This federal overreach is unacceptable and unconstitutional.”
“With today’s announcement, President Biden and Interior Secretary Haaland have made it apparent that national security, economic prosperity, and Tribal sovereignty are disposable to them. Biden is shamelessly politicizing the Grand Canyon to appease the radical left and distract from his dereliction of duty just a few hours south at the border,” said Crane.
“Uranium is critical to American energy and security, and this ridiculous political posturing only makes us more reliant on foreign nations such as China and Russia,” argued Crane. “Apart from sabotaging national security and energy independence, Biden Administration policies trap Americans in poverty and undercut the economy. Northern Arizona’s economy will lose billions because of this stifling land grab by the federal government.”
“In addition to this million-acre land grab, this Administration is also cruelly blocking Navajo Nation citizens from natural gas and oil development in New Mexico. Tribal sovereignty only matters to them if it suits their radical agenda.” Crane concluded, “This type of woke government overreach that tramples over the American people is the embodiment of the America Last agenda.”