The National Congress of American Indians
Resolution #PHX-16-079
TITLE: Support for Designation of Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument
WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, the Grand Canyon is a location of significance to the Native People of the Southwest with numerous locations of religious and cultural importance within the area designated as Grand Canyon National Park and on the Federal lands surrounding the Park; and
WHEREAS, the springs and seeps that provide the water for life in the Canyon for us and for the plants and animals on which we depend must be protected from depletion and from contamination and are at risk; and
WHEREAS, the ancient trails that we travel to reach each other travel through the Canyons, between the springs and across the Plateau are at risk; and
WHEREAS, the proposed legislation recognizes the importance of these lands to the Native People affiliated with the Grand Canyon Region and provides an advisory role for our Tribes and Nations regarding management of the National Monument so that we may inform the land management agencies about impacts from proposed actions; and
WHEREAS, mining and in particular the expansion of uranium mining around the Grand Canyon poses the greatest threat to our springs and seeps and to our continued use of these lands for our religious, cultural and traditional purposes; and
WHEREAS, the designation of the Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument will ban new uranium mining claims within the Monument.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians support the passage of legislation to create the Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, alternatively, the NCAI also supports a Presidential Proclamation establishing the Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument under the authority of the Antiquities Act; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.