The Biden government halted a controversial agreement to hand over the sacred lands of the Apaches for a massive copper mining operation in Arizona.
The federal government ordered the United States Forest Service to withdraw an environmental impact statement that would set the stage for the Copper Resolution.
A January 15 decision, just days before Donald Trump’s term in office ended, began a 60-day process to exchange 5,376 acres of private land for 2,200 acres of forest for Resolution Copper to develop a mine.
“This is the right measure for the Department of Agriculture,” said San Carlos Apache tribe president Terry Rambler.
“The Resolution project will desecrate Chich’il Bildagoteel, also known as Oak Flat, which is the heart of our religious and cultural beliefs.”
A spokesman for Resolution Copper said the company “is evaluating the decision of the Forest Service to terminate the Final Declaration of Environmental Impact and the Draft Decision Record.
“In the meantime, we will continue to be involved in the process determined by the United States government and we are committed to continuous consultation with American Indian tribes and local communities.”
Land exchange was ordered by Congress in 2014 as a guide to a mandatory defense appropriations bill.
The Copper Resolution says it has invested $ 2 billion so far in the project and real mining operations will only begin 10 years after the transfer.
Michael Nixon, an attorney for the Apache Stronghold group, says the USDA move is welcome, but it won’t have much impact.
“Oak Flat is still on death row,” he said.
“Basically, they are just changing the execution date.”
Oak Flat has ancient oak groves, traditional plants and living things that tribal leaders say are essential to their culture.
Apache Fortress says that although these things exist elsewhere, they have a unique power within Oak Flat.
The Associated Press contributed to this report