Save Oak Flat from a massive copper mine

Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont have introduced the Save Oak Flat Act to permanently protect the Oak Flat area of Tonto National Forest from destructive mining proposals.

Oak Flat, or Chi’chil Bildagoteel, is of significant cultural importance and considered sacred by many Tribal communities in Arizona, including the San Carlos Apache Tribe, which has resisted a years-long effort by Resolution Copper—owned by international mining conglomerates BHP and Rio Tinto—to mine the region.

Stand together with the San Carlos Apache Tribe and ask your members of Congress to support the Save Oak Flat Act.

Photo Credit: Patrick Dockens, Flickr

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As your constituent, I'm asking you to please co-sponsor the Save Oak Flat Act, which will repeal Section 3003 of the National Defense Authorization Act. Section 3003 (the Oak Flat Land Exchange) has nothing to do with national defense and instead would turn over a sacred site that is critical for the religious freedom of Native Americans to foreign mining companies, who have stated they would ship minerals outside the United States for processing.

Oak Flat is public land within the Tonto National Forest in Arizona. Oak Flat is not only sacred, it is a recreational and ecological haven. President Eisenhower protected much of Oak Flat from mining in 1955. If the U.S. Congress can give a protected sacred site to foreign mining companies, what public lands are truly safe?

Section 3003 dictates that Oak Flat cannot be given away for several years. This gives you time to work with your colleagues to correct an error made in haste by Congress in 2014. Please work to protect Oak Flat for future generations by co-sponsoring and passing the Save Oak Flat Act.

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