After the Grand Canyon Lodge was destroyed in the Dragon Bravo Fire, Republican Representative Eli Crane plans to speed up attempts to rebuild it by suggesting that environmental restrictions that might cause delays be waived.
Eli Crane presented his plans for upgrading the historic North Rim lodge so it may be used all year round during a telephone town hall meeting on Tuesday night.
“We're talking about possibly doing some NEPA waivers, waiving environmental reviews and just trying to fast-track this as quickly as we can to get that historic structure back up and running again," he stated.
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Before proceeding, federal departments are usually required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate the potential environmental effects of their proposals. Crane's plan would get around this procedure in order to speed up the lodge's reconstruction.
The congressman expressed a sense of urgency as the Dragon Bravo Fire is still burning over 20 square miles of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and containment efforts are only at 26 percent.
In addition to the lodge, dozens of other surrounding buildings, such as a visitor center, a wastewater treatment facility, and a number of cabins that were the only overnight accommodations in the area, were completely destroyed by the fire.
In order to put into effect his expedited strategy, Crane has already started efforts by contacting the White House directly.
His statement addressed a long-standing problem of the North Rim's seasonal operation from May to October: “Let's also modernize it so it can be open year-round," he said.
As a National Historic Landmark and the only place to stay in the park's more remote North Rim area, the demolished lodge was extremely significant.
For the rest of the 2025 season, the area will be closed, excluding visitors of this cherished section of one of the most visited national parks in the United States.
Crane's plan to disregard environmental analysis of the fire will face strong opposition from environmental advocacy organizations and others who see NEPA provisions as crucial for maintaining the vulnerable ecosystem of the Grand Canyon.
Some people are already doubting the viability and financial support of reconstruction operations, so the argument over reconstruction techniques begins before the debris has even cooled.
Crane acknowledged the ambitious timeline and reaffirmed his commitment when he was challenged to finish the reconstruction by July 4, 2026.
"We will continue to do what we can on this issue. I know how important it is to Arizona and our district," he responded.
Crane's demand for speedy restoration is an early test of how quickly the federal bureaucracy can react to natural disasters.
It's uncertain whether his idea to go around environmental evaluations will be approved while firefighters continue to fight the Dragon Bravo fire and assess the full extent of the damage.
