Grijalva Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Repeal Giveaway of Sacred Arizona Native American Land

[peoli]

Source: Natural Resources . house . gov

Washington, D.C. – Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva today introduced the “Save Oak Flat Act,” which repeals a recent congressional giveaway of sacred Native American land to a company called Resolution Copper co-owned by multinational mining conglomerates Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.

Section 3003 of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act authorizes the transfer of 2,422 acres in the Tonto National Forest to Resolution Copper despite its cultural importance to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Yavapai-Apache Nation. The area, known as Oak Flat, has been home to tribal acorn gathering and traditional religious ceremonies for centuries. If Resolution Copper continues with its stated plans to establish a so-called block cave mine on the land, its environmental and cultural value will be severely damaged.

The proposed mine is directly adjacent to Apache Leap, an especially sacred site where Apache warriors pursued by U.S. cavalry leapt to their deaths to avoid capture. Vernelda Grant, the tribal historic preservation officer for the San Carlos Apache Tribe, expressed concern in Science last year that, as the magazine put it, the mine is “right next door” to Apache Leap and “having a working copper mine next to the site will change how people experience it.” Section 3003 allows the following at Apache Leap itself:

(B) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—The activities that are authorized in the special management area are— (i) installation of seismic monitoring equipment on the surface and subsurface to protect the resources located within the special management area; (ii) installation of fences, signs, or other measures necessary to protect the health and safety of the public; and (iii) operation of an underground tunnel and associated workings, as described in the Resolution mine plan of operations, subject to any terms and conditions the Secretary may reasonably require.

Read more: http://democrats.naturalresources.house.gov/press-release/grijalva-introduces-bipartisan-bill-repeal-giveaway-sacred-arizona-native-american

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Fuck Yeah, Raul!

[HassleCat]

1. Mining laws

The old mining laws were intended to promote unfettered exploitation, and they worked fine. Sill working, in fact. It's really hard to stop a mining company from doing pretty much anything it wants, and specific legislation by Congress is required. I hope this bill succeeds.

[SunSeeker]

2. Love me some Raul Grijalva!

[Thespian2]

3. Good Luck

hard to pass legislation that actually helps people and the planet...the GodOffalParty is against such irresponsible laws...

[sulphurdunn]

4. National Defense Authorization Act

What does this act have to do with mining? How does a giveaway of public land and offending the Apache serve national defense? How goddamn corrupt is this congress?

[Chan790]

7. NDAA covers not only defense acquisitions...

but also acquisitions of raw material deemed necessary to national defense. Basically...this falls under NDAA because defense contractors need copper to produce military equipment so copper mining and salvaging companies are given wide berth to acquire copper--that wide berth supersedes things like environmental standards and land preservation.

[brush]

5. A hole McCain is behind this give away.

Wonder how much the mining corp. has stashed away in his secret, off-shore account.

[Cha]

6. thank you, Raul Grivala! "Grijalva Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Repeal Giveaway of Sacred Arizona

Native American Land"

[cntrygrl]

8. Bless you Raúl Manuel Grijalva. You know darn well

John McCain isn't in it for the welfare of the country. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$