We have learned today that the House of Representatives leadership is trying to add the Oak Flat land exchange to the National Defense Authorization Act as part of a package of public lands bills. Your help is needed immediately to contact your Representative and ask him/her to oppose the Oak Flat land exchange (HR 687) under any circumstances and especially as a rider onto a Defense bill.
The Oak Flat land exchange is the only bill in this Congress that would give a Native American sacred site on public lands to a foreign mining company, would be the largest single loss of recreational opportunities on public land, and would circumvent the normal process of permitting mines located on public land. The House leadership brought the land exchange to the House floor for a vote twice a year ago, but pulled it at the last minute because they could not defeat an amendment to the bill that would have prevented the privatization of an public land that is sacred.
Why is it that at the end of every Congress, Rio Tinto’s supporters try to sneak the land exchange through Congress in the dead of night?
Send a letter to your Representative to stop the Oak Flat land exchange now!