Washington, D.C. – At today’s House Natural Resources Committee hearing, U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland accepted an invitation from Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) to visit the area that the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition has proposed for designation as the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument.

WATCH Secretary Haaland accept Ranking Member Grijalva’s invitation to visit the proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument area.

Last week, the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition—leadership representatives of the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Paiute Tribe, Las Vegas Band of Paiute Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Pueblo of Zuni, and the Colorado River Indian Tribes—launched an effort to call on President Joe Biden to use his authorities under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate the monument.

CLICK HERE for a fact sheet on the tribes’ effort. CLICK HERE for a map of the proposed National Monument boundaries.

Designation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument would honor the tribes’ deep cultural ties to the Grand Canyon and protect the area by permanently banning uranium mining, while also enhancing the cultural, natural, recreational, and scientific resources of the region. Baaj Nwaavjo means “where tribes roam” for the Havasupai Tribe and I’tah Kukveni means “our footprints” for the Hopi Tribe. The area is also an important watershed for the Colorado River, which provides water to 40 million Americans.

Ranking Member Grijalva has previously introduced legislation that would permanently withdraw the Grand Canyon area from new mining claims.