We’ve just heard that Senator Kyl is playing hardball by putting holds on all kinds of bill to try to force through the Oak Flat land exchange. We’ve also heard that Senator McCain was rebuffed by Senator Levin when he attempted to add the Oak Flat land exchange to the Defense Authorization bill.
Call your Senators now and tell them that the Oak Flat land exchange is a poison pill that will sink any bill it is attached to.
Talking points for calls and letters to stop the Oak Flat land exchange
- I am opposed to any bill or amendment that would privatize Oak Flat. HR 1904 and the old S 409 are both unacceptable.
- The Oak Flat land exchange is so controversial it would be a poison pill that would doom any bill it would be attached to.
I oppose the Oak Flat land exchange because: (Pick one or more of the following)
- The Oak Flat land exchange (HR 1904) would be the only bill that would turn over a Native American sacred site on public land to foreign mining companies and is opposed by every Indian Tribe in the United States.
- The Oak Flat land exchange (HR 1904) would be the largest loss of public lands recreational climbing opportunities in history and is opposed by the Access Fund and other organizations that care about maintaining recreational opportunities on public land.
- The Oak Flat land exchange (HR 1904) bypasses the normal process of permitting mines on public lands, avoids the NEPA process, and would destroy wildlife habitat and clean water resources.
- The Oak Flat land exchange (HR 1904) would benefit only two huge foreign mining companies at the expense of Arizona’s clean water, recreation, and economy.
Optional if you are asked about Rio Tinto’s jobs threat:
- Jobs in the mining industry ebb and flow, especially before permitting. Most people that could be affected by Rio Tinto’s announced slowdown are contractors that move from contract to contract.
- Rio Tinto makes this announcement at the end of every Congress in order to create pressure to move a bad piece of legislation.
- Rio Tinto’s possible slowdown is a function of a worldwide downturn in copper and the end of the first phase of exploratory drilling.
For additional information and for our last action alert go here. Note: If you are from Arizona, please don’t contact Senator McCain and/or Kyl. It would be counterproductive. Instead, inform your friends and colleagues aorund the country to contact their Senators who may be more able to Save Oak Flat!