We received this update from Melanie Beikman of Arizona Power & Light:
Greetings Amicus Brief supporters of Apache Stronghold,
We have updates for you today. Last month we shared with you the news that Apache Stronghold’s case was not taken up by the Supreme Court. With the Trump Administration preparing to start the land transfer on June 16, the timeline for saving Oak Flat was very short. Now, the timeline has extended a bit. We want to share that development and the next steps for Apache Stronghold. And we will invite you to take action.
Last Friday morning, June 6, a Federal District Court judge in Phoenix heard the two other Oak Flat court cases, one filed by the San Carlos Apache Tribe and one filed by a coalition of environmental organizations. In that hearing the judge rejected an argument from Resolution Copper that Oak Flat should be transferred to the mining company immediately upon the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on June 16. Instead there will be a 64-day pause after the FEIS is released. The Tribe and the environmental groups will be able to file for a preliminary injunction on the land transfer during that time. You can read more on the Court’s decision here.
In the meantime, Apache Stronghold is exploring their next legal pathways. At the same time, Apache Stronghold leader Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. is seeking a meeting with President Trump to find common ground and stop the land transfer. You can read the full Apache Stronghold letter here or below.
This is the Call to Action that Apache Stronghold sent out last Friday:
We need you to take action! As the fight for Oak Flat continues to push into the courts, now is the time for President Trump to put a stop to a foreign-owned company with an atrocious human rights and environmental record from destroying another sacred site.
Call your Members of Congress! Ask your Senators and House member to request that President Trump meet with the Apache Stronghold. You can get direct phone numbers here.
Help spread the word on social media! Let people know about Apache Stronghold’s letter to President Trump. You can also directly share the image from Apache Stronghold’s Facebook page.
Please share these calls to action with your congregations and your networks.
Please continue to pray for Oak Flat.
Regards,
Doe Hoyer, Repair Network Organizer, Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery
Melanie Beikman, Arizona Interfaith Power & Light
Chairs of the Amicus Brief Committee, Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery
