Business owners from Phoenix to Prescott and Tempe to Flagstaff signed a letterto President Barack Obama asking that he designate 1.7 million acres as a national monument. More than 200 business owners from Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado also signed.
Supporters say the proposed monument would grant federal protection in the Grand Canyon watershed and permanently ban uranium mining in the area.
Critics, including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, call it a land grab and said Arizona’s ability to grow economically is directly tied to its ability to effectively manage its land and resources.
