Canadian Company Will Mine Uranium Near Grand Canyon

by Libby Zay on

Anyone with plans to visit the Grand Canyon in the near future might want to consider bringing bottled water along with them. To the dismay of environmentalists and nearby Native Americans, a Canadian company has been given the go ahead on mining uranium just six miles from the National Park’s South Rim entrance.

Even though the government banned uranium mining around the park early last year, Canadian company Energy Fuels Resources says its rights to mine in the area, which were granted in 1986, should be grandfathered in. According to the Arizona Republic, it seems the Forest Service agreed.

Three environmental groups and the local Havusupai Tribe have come together to file suit against the Forest Service. Not only does pollution from the mine provide a potential threat to the air and water in the area, but the mine is situated on a site sacred to the Havusupai and other tribes. Until mining starts in 2015, pay attention to those warning signs at the Grand Canyon (pictured above), and here’s to hoping something is done before they get more plentiful.

[via Grist]

[Photo credit: Flickr user Al_HikesAZ]

Two Days After Scare, Russia Bans Flights Over Syria

by Libby Zay on

Just two days after a commercial airliner with 159 passengers detoured to avoid the danger of flying over a combat zone, Russia has officially banned flights over Syria, Reuters is reporting.

According to the news outlet, some Russian airlines had ignored a warning issue in February, and continued to pass over war-torn Syria. One of those planes was a chartered flight operated by NordWind Airlines, which reportedly had two land-to-air missiles fired at it as it passed over Syria on its way back from an Egyptian resort, The Guardian wrote Monday.

In later reports, officials have seemed to downplay the theory, citing the pilot was concerned about “signs of war activity.” According to Reuters, “a Russian tourism official said there was no shooting whatsoever.”

[via Airwise & USA Today]

[Photo credit: Flickr user leff]

Officials Search For ‘Frankenfish’ In Central Park

by Libby Zay on

Environmental officials plan to survey a lake in Central Park for the northern snakehead fish, a curious species often referred to as the “Frankenfish.”

After sightings in Queens in recent years, the toothy, predatory fish is thought to have reared its ugly head in the park, NBC News is reporting. Native to China, Russia and Korea, the invasive species eats frogs and crayfish, and – scarily – has the ability to live out of water in certain conditions.

The fish is such a threat to the ecosystem that signs have been posted around Harlem Meer warning anyone who catches the fish to “keep it in a secure container until it’s picked up by officials.” In 2002, the fish was discovered in a pond in Crofton, Maryland, leading to a slew of major media coverage and spawning three horror movies.

[Photo credit: United States Geological Survey / Wikimedia Commons]

Sin City Casino To Invest $30 Million In… Bowling?

by Libby Zay on

Las Vegas‘ next big venture isn’t a multi-million dollar casino or even a gimmicky 500-item buffet or wacky wedding chapel, it’s a mega bowling facility constructed specifically for championship events.

The Associated Press is reporting South Point Hotel and Casino has struck a 12-year deal with the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) to host events in a new $30 million bowling center. Construction on the 60-lane center should begin as early as May.

If all goes as planned, the new center should put Sin City back on top of the bowling event hosting game. That’s good news for Las Vegas, but could potentially mean a tourism hit for Reno, Nevada. The Biggest Little City in the World currently hosts several annual bowling tournaments at the National Bowling Stadium, which is nicknamed the “Taj Mahal of tenpins.” Fans of the 1996 slapstick comedy “Kingpin” would recognize the interior of Reno’s center instantly.

[via Yahoo!]

[Photo credit: Flickr user ​j.o.h.n. walker]

The Secret Lives Of Congressional Air Travelers

by Libby Zay on

We here at Gadling have been closely following how furloughs have affected air traffic controllers, and subsequently how backed up airports got when flight delays started cascading across the country. But we were also surprised when Congress voted to reverse these cuts – and like many others who loudly voiced their opinions online, we wondered who, exactly, is benefiting from the decision.

It seems Bloomberg Businessweek has found the answer, claiming lawmakers aren’t pampering wealthy business travelers, but instead catering to their own needs. “There is no more pampered class of air traveler than members of Congress,” the news outlet writes, detailing how our representatives have their own special parking spaces at Washington’s Reagan National Airport. This “freebie” ends up costing the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority nearly $739K in foregone revenue each year.

Of course, that’s not the only perk lawmakers get at the airport. Businessweek is reporting they also never have to worry about rushing to catch a shuttle out of town because airlines allow them to simultaneously book multiple flights in the event the lawmaker is late or a flight gets canceled. This means they can get booked on the 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m. flights without having to incur the fees the rest of us would for the luxury.

Many lawmakers fly frequently, and it’s not just back and forth from Washington to their districts. In some cases, they’ve been known to jet set around the world at taxpayer expense, as is the case with Democratic Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who racked up $23,646 on an around-the-world trip in February. So although we’re happy things are less congested at airports, we’re wondering if the rush to get things squared away was necessary – or if lawmakers just wanted to make sure they got home at a good hour.

[Photo credit: Flickr user ​Telstar Logistics]