Change.org - Stop Apache sacred land transfer?

In his final weeks at the White House, Trump made a deal that would hand over a sacred Indigenous site to a mining company. Last week, President Biden put a hold on that deal to further consider concerns from Native American communities. But Oak Flat is still at risk. Olivia is asking for a complete stop to the land transfer that would leave a giant pit in place of this sacred site. Add your name to join her. Stop the Apache Sacred land transfer to Mining company that would create Giant Sinkhole 1,931 have signed Olivia W’s petition. Let’s get to 2,500!

Sign now with a click

We, the undersigned of this petition, call upon the current administration to follow through on its pledge to restore the federal government’s responsibility with Native nations and future generations to protect sacred sites, public lands, and waters with high conservation and cultural values. We ask for the immediate withdraw of the approval of a land exchange that would trade away more than 2,000 acres of land that is sacred Apache land known as the Oak Flat or Chi’chil Bildagoteel. At the end of the Trump administration a rushed, flawed environmental analysis was done that would allow Resolution Copper to destroy Oak Flat in favor of a massive copper mine. The process obtaining the copper would destroy Oak Flat and surround campground as part of the Tonto National Forest. In exchange for the once beautiful land would be a giant sinkhole about the size of the Eiffel Tower that would produce an estimated 1.6 BILLION tons of TOXIC mine waste. Section §3003 was attached to the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, which is currently set to authorize a land exchange this year on March 11 and would allow the end of Oak Flat as it would be transferred into private mining corporation. If allowed this would make Oak Flat forever lost to us and future generations. Action needs to happen now to stop the destruction of this land that would cause extensive dewatering and risk pollution of ground and surface waters. This land exchange was allowed without proper review and consideration of the vast devastation that would be caused. We Can’t sit back and ignore our promise to fight for a better environment for ourselves and our children.  The approval of this land exchange was fast tracked by the Trump administration and includes numerous deficiencies that violate the National Environmental Policy Act and other federal laws. This land is also home to endangered species and hundreds of migratory birds.  We are Living the consequences of land being destroyed in the past, and while we may not be able to change the mistakes of predecessors we can stop them from happening again. We have a Duty as caretakers of this Earth to stop the destruction of this land. We urge you to act swiftly and withdraw the flawed Final EIS for proper review and evaluation.

Sign now with a click

Visit petition page

At Change.org, we believe in the voice of everyday people. Is there something that you want to change? Start a petition today