Should uranium mining be allowed near Grand Canyon?

That sounds like a rhetorical question, but unfortunately, it isn't. Public comment is open on the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's draft of the environmental impact statement until mid-April.

The EIS examines whether to extend a moratorium on hard-rock mining near Grand Canyon National Park for 20 years.

Check out the BLM's draft. It contains these four alternatives, reports nationalparkstraveler.com:

* Alternative A is the No Action Alternative, under which no withdrawal would occur and hardrock mineral exploration and mining would continue throughout the study area in accordance with existing BLM and Forest Service regulations and land use plans.

* Alternative B is to withdraw about 1 million acres from hardrock mineral exploration and mining for 20 years subject to valid existing rights. The land is in three parcels: two are north of the Grand Canyon National Park on BLM Arizona Strip and Kaibab National Forest lands; and one is south of the Grand Canyon also in the Kaibab National Forest. The authority for the withdrawal comes from Section 204 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. If implemented, this withdrawal would not prevent any other development under laws regulating mineral leasing, geothermal leasing, mineral materials or public lands.

* Alternative C is to withdraw a reduced area of about 650,000 acres from hardrock mineral exploration and mining for 20 years, subject to valid existing rights. This is the largest contiguous area with resources that could be adversely affected by mineral exploration and mining. The resources potentially affected are cultural, hydrologic, recreational, visual, and biologic.

* Alternative D is to withdraw a further reduced area of about 300,000 acres from hardrock mineral exploration and mining for 20 years, subject to valid existing rights. This is the largest contiguous area with the highest concentration of resources that could adversely be affected by mineral exploration and mining.

The traveler also says that the BLM doesn't identify any of the four as its preferred alternative, while the National Parks Conservation Association's Southwest Region office, Director David Nimkin, the Pew Environmental Group's U.S. Public Lands Director Jane Danowitz, and the Grand Canyon Trust endorse Alternative B.

The BLM will be holding public meetings from March 7 to 10 in Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Fredonia, Arizona, and in Salt Lake City, Utah. If you can't make the meetings, send an email to: NAZproposedwithdrawal@azblm.org.