Ask your Representative to Cosponsor the Save Oak Flat Act

Jul 20, 2015 | Action Alert, Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining | 0 comments

Please contact your Congressional Representative today and ask him/her to cosponsor the Save Oak Flat Act to repeal Section 3003 of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Last December in the closing days of the 113th Congress in the dead of night, Rio Tinto’s Congressional supporters stuck the Oak Flat land exchange onto a must past national defense bill.  The land exchange became Section 3003 of the defense bill.  Section 3003 has nothing to do with national defense, but Rio Tinto’s supports knew that the land exchange would not pass on its own. 

Sign a Comment Letter to acknowledge Oak Flat’s Cultural & Historic Importance

Jun 26, 2015 | Action Alert, Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining | 0 comments

The National Park Service is accepting comments about placing Oak Flat on the list of National Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural Property because of its sacredness and significance to Native American Tribes. 

The nomination would list Oak Flat as a Traditional Cultural Property on the National Register of Historic Places.  (Note that the nomination uses the Apache name for Oak Flat, Chi’chil Bildagoteel.)

Please take action and sign a letter to the National Park Service (who is responsible for making the final decision on adding Oak Flat to the list) to help protect Oak Flat.

The deadline for you to sign the letter is noon (Arizona Time) on Monday, June 29, so act now. 

Come to Oak Flat May 30 – 31

May 28, 2015 | Action Alert, Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining | 0 comments

Come to Oak Flat May 30 – 31 to protect Oak Flat

The Apache Stronghold will be hosting a concert, and spiritual and educational events this weekend at Oak Flat. 

A concert featuring traditional Apache songs and Native American musicians will begin at 11:00 am on Saturday May 30 at Oak Flat.  Entertainment will continue all afternoon and culminate with Apache Mountain Spirit Dancers (around 5:00). 

Sunday’s events will begin at 8:00 am with a traditional Apache Holy Ground ceremony.  Holy Ground will be followed by concurrent educational and action events including an art project, an eco tour, a spiritual tour, and an Apache community meeting. 

All events are free and open to the public.  Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Meals will be provided, but bring warm clothes (for the evening), sun protection (during the day), and a chair.  Bring camping equipment if you plan to camp overnight. 

Oak Flat Campground is located south of US Highway 60 4 miles east of Superior, AZ.  You will see a Highway sign for the campground coming from either direction on Highway 60.  Follow signs into the campground.  

The land near the Oak Flat Campground is a sacred site to the indigenous tribes in the area, including the Apache. The new law allows Rio Tinto a run-around to avoid complying with indigenous rights to the land. Activists have been working for many years on the issue and actions are being planned this winter throughout the region to raise awareness and stop the destruction of this wild and sacred space. 

Comment on Rio Tinto’s Proposed Toxic Tailings Site Drilling Plan

Apr 8, 2015 | Action Alert, Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining | 0 comments

The US Forest Service is accepting comments on a preliminary Environmental Assessment of a plan of operations to conduct baseline hydrological and geophysical testing on their proposed toxic tailings location for Rio Tinto’s proposed mine at Oak Flat.  

The deadline for comments in April 12, 2015.

Rio Tinto wishes to dump toxic tailings on public land managed by the US Forest Service north of Highway 60 between Superior and Queen Valley (roughly across the street for Boyce Thompson Arboretum).  Rio Tinto wants to drill 16 groundwater testing and monitoring wells, 41 geotechnical drill holes, and 32 deep geotechnical test trenches.  They want to “improve” more than 12 miles of Forest Service roads, use either illegal or user constructed roads, and go off road to disturb another 11 acres.