The magnificent Grand Canyon is among the top travel destinations especially in summer. The Grand Canyon was declared a monument in the year 1908 by President Teddy Roosevelt, better known as the ‘conservationist’ president. It was later established as a national park in 1919 by the National Park Service.

With a clear understanding the importance of preserving America’s resources, Roosevelt signedAntiquities Act of 1906 with the aim of creating a tool that would enable future presidents to safe guard the country’s natural and historical sites.

Currently, there are calls to President Obama to ‘Greater’ Grand Canyon a national monument. This would cover about 1.7 million acres of public lands encircling the park. This is due to a potential infringement on the entry to the Grand Canyon.

This comes as no surprise since the issue at hand involves money, great power brokers,bifurcation of Citizens United, and a renowned actor in the anti-environmental space known as the Koch Brothers.

The argument is regarding mining, which has been a source of controversy for more than a century, when the issue of land claims first begun. Aged mines that were ‘approved’ went ahead,one of them being the Canyon Mine, which is located 6 miles south of the Grand Canyon.

Several original mining property owners turned over their land to tourist properties. Nonetheless,there are about 3,000 ‘unapproved’ claims, presently on hold under an interim 20 year ban issue by the Secretary of the Interior in 2012. The incentive was aimed at protecting lands from ‘potential threats’.

With Obama exiting office, the contest to obtain permanent protection has beefed up.

Indigenous groups and Environmentalists are opposed to various politicians, the ArizonaChamber of Commerce Foundation, and the National Mining Association. The latter all have links to Koch Brothers funding.

It should be noted that there was a superfund site on the southern border of the Grand Canyon.

Aside from scaring the earth, mining upsets the Canyon’s ecosystem. To top it up, it threatens the tourism industry, emits toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, and endangers water supplies.

Some individuals who support suing the EPA over Clean Power Plan, have a hand in the matter. The groups in support of uranium mining, and are against providing the Grand Canyon and its surroundings full protection, employ the Kochian Newspeak of ‘federal overreach’ and ‘limited government’.

Greg Zimmerman, Policy Director at the Center for Western Priorities, co-authored an article with a very blunt drill down on the money path. When asked to comment, this is whatZimmerman had to say, “These attempts are being facilitated by wealthy, ultra-conservative industrialists who are dedicated to going back over a century of land protections across theAmerican West, including at the Grand Canyon. Mining at the entrance of the Grand Canyon remains incredibly abhorred among Arizonans and Americans. However, it’s not barring these individuals from sabotaging our outdoor legacy.”

A poll of Arizona residents to vote in November 2016 confirmed Zimmerman’s declaration of support for monument status. The statistics revealed that 80% statewide supported the establishment of the Greater Grand Canyon National Heritage Monument.

Roger Clark, Program Director of the Grand Canyon Trust remarked passionately how the future of the Grand Canyon hangs in the balance. “It has always being sought after for profit gain,” Roger adds.

Seemingly, the Koch Brothers are presently aiming the Grand Canyon for toxic uranium mining. If the Koch brothers succeed, radioactive waste would destroy one of our top most iconic parks and wildlife that reside there.

Let’s all remember what our children are at risk of losing.