Sacred sites

US Intends To Proceed With Arizona Copper Mine, Justices Told

April 24, 2025 Crystal Owens, Law 360. Educate! Arizona, Copper Mine, Indigenous Sovereignty, Oak Flat, Sacred sites, Supreme Court

The U.S. government says there has been no doubt that it intends to proceed with a land exchange in Arizona for a planned multibillion-dollar copper mine, telling the U.S. Supreme Court that its recent notice of publication of a final environmental impact statement for the project does not constitute urgent review. There is nothing about the 60-day notice, which was filed in an Arizona federal court and published in the Federal Register on April 17, that supports claims by the Apache Stronghold that there may have been some uncertainty about the federal government's intent to move forward with the land transfer, the government told the high court in a Monday letter.

Permit for Pipeline Reconstruction Near Sacred Site Rescinded

January 10, 2025 Akičita Šuŋka-Wakaŋ Ska, Unicorn Riot. Resist! Indigenous Activism, Indigenous Rights, Minnesota, Pipelines, Sacred sites, St. Paul, Victory

St. Paul, MN — Minnesota regulators have rescinded a controversial permit allowing Magellan Pipeline Co. to reconstruct a petroleum pipeline near Pipestone National Monument, following sustained opposition from tribal nations, community groups, and environmental advocates. The decision, made during a recent Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) public hearing, reflects mounting pressure to safeguard the sacred site and its surrounding environment. The PUC unanimously voted to revoke the route permit granted in Oct. 2024 and favored the RA-01 pipeline route (alternative proposed by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe — 13.1 miles long), citing inadequate tribal consultation and incomplete cultural and archaeological surveys.

Guide To Preserving Sacred Land Near You

January 9, 2025 Jimmy Videle, Resilience. Organize! Biodiversity, climate crisis, Environment, Land Conservation, Sacred sites

Anthropogenic climate change and biodiversity loss are the most pressing issues for our planet. Carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere continue to rise due to the burning of fossil fuels and land use change, with the latter occurring primarily in the form of animal agriculture and growing crops to feed livestock. Biodiversity loss is greatly enhanced by these climate changes, causing catastrophic threats to nature. Because these unprecedented climate changes make modeling future scenarios relatively impossible, region-by-region data is the only reliable tool, so conservation efforts must begin regionally.

NDN Collective Completes Landback Deal In Alaska

November 20, 2024 NDN Collective. Create! Alaska, Indigenous Sovereignty, Landback Movement, Sacred sites

Cordova, AK –Last week, NDN Collective through our community development arm, NDN Holdings, finalized a LANDBACK deal with the Eyak Community Land Trust in Alaska and transferred title to two acres of land back to the Eyak people. In October 2021, NDN Collective was made aware of an opportunity to purchase land along Eyak Lake on the southern coast of the state. NDN Holdings purchased the land and began working with the Eyak community to transfer ownership. As of this week, the two acre property will now be wholly owned by Eyak Community Land Trust, which was established in collaboration with Native Conservancy, and be used by the community to host cultural and ecological education workshops.

Indigenous Spiritual Walk Protests Last Conventional Uranium Mill

November 2, 2024 Alex Binder, Unicorn Riot. Resist! Indigenous Activism, Sacred sites, Uranium, Utah

White Mesa, UT — The White Mesa Mill was built in 1979 with plans to process uranium ore for 15 years. With the facility now well past its initial operational lifespan, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, other Indigenous tribes and allies continue their call for it to be shut down and cleaned up. On October 12, over 75 people participated in an annual spiritual walk in opposition to the mill, which is the last conventional uranium processing plant in operation in the United States. Participants met at the White Mesa Community Center in southern Utah at 11 a.m., then walked five miles north on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 191 to rally outside the mill.

Apache Stronghold Takes Case Against Copper Mine To The Supreme Court

September 12, 2024 Debra Utacia Krol, Arizona Central. Resist! Copper Mine, Indigenous Rights, Mining, Oak Flat, Sacred sites, Supreme Court

After a two-month pilgrimage across the nation, Apache Stronghold formally presented its appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday in a final bid to stop a massive copper mine from obliterating one of the Apache peoples' most sacred sites. The high court was the last hope for the group after the full 29-justice 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to review the case. Opponents of the mine say the case will be a test of how the court and the government view the religious rights of Indigenous people. Apache Stronghold in April asked the full Ninth Circuit panel to review its lawsuit against the U.S. and Resolution Copper. That move followed an opinion issued by a panel of 11 appeals court judges that ruled narrowly against Apache Stronghold in March, about a year after oral arguments.

Apache Stronghold On Journey Of Prayer To The Supreme Court

August 31, 2024 Apache Stronghold, Popular Resistance. Resist! Apache Stronghold, Indigenous Sovereignty, Legal System, Oak Flat, Sacred sites, Supreme Court

On July 11th, 2024, the Apache Stronghold started the journey of prayer to the Supreme Court to stop the shattering of human existence and to protect Mother Earth. We have traveled, held ceremonies and gathered prayers from Tribes, Communities, Churches, and people in support of saving Oak Flat and religious freedom and protections for all. We began in the Northwest, Westcoast, South, mid-west to the East to gather in Washington DC at the Supreme court on September 11. We are appealing a lower court ruling that would have allowed the total destruction of Oak Flat by allowing the land to be transferred to Resolution Copper, a foreign owned company, owned by BHP and Rio Tinto.

Apache Stronghold Heads To The East

August 20, 2024 Apache Stronghold, Popular Resistance. Resist! Apache Stronghold, Indigenous Activism, Oak Flat, Sacred sites

As the Apache Stronghold’s prayer journey to the Supreme Court turns East, we are reflecting on our ceremonies and discussions throughout the western segment of the journey. Our prayer journey through the West began in the Lummi Nation, north of Seattle, where we met with the elders of the nations and were given words of encouragement and support. Adalitza, who leads the elder program for the Lummi Nation, spoke of the importance of this fight, saying it’s crucial to set the precedence for the younger ones because it’s the children who will be living in the world we are creating for them. Additionally, in Adalitza’s words, “We’re doing this to take care of the mind, body, and soul of our people because it’s all timely.

Urgent Call To Action To Revoke The Snowbowl Memorandum Of Agreement

August 15, 2024 Robin Silver, Popular Resistance. Resist! Arizona, Environment, Indigenous Sovereignty, Sacred sites, Snowbowl

Flagstaff, Arizona - Environmental and cultural advocates are expressing outrage following the approval and signing of the Snowbowl Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation (ACHP), and the United States Forest Service (USFS). This agreement has been established without the incorporation of critical scientific monitoring provisions on the San Francisco Peaks Traditional Cultural Property (TCP), disregarding the recommendations of indigenous Tribes, involved scientist, and respected elders.

Apache Stronghold Continues Journey Of Prayer To The Supreme Court

August 5, 2024 Apache Stronghold, Popular Resistance. Resist! Caravan, Indigenous Rights, Oak Flat, Sacred sites, Supreme Court

Today, August 4, 2024, the Apache Stronghold will be continuing our prayer journey to stop the shattering of human existence and to protect Mother Earth. The prayer journey began in the Lummi Nation, north of Seattle, in July, and it will conclude on September 11, 2024 when the Apache Stronghold files their appeal at the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, with stops along the way visiting tribes and supporters for prayers and ceremony. The full route is outlined below. We will be traveling to Thacker Pass, Nevada for a prayer gathering on August 6. This will be our second stop on the journey.

Utah’s Development Plans Threaten My Navajo Homeland

July 26, 2024 Mark Maryboy, In These Times. Educate! Bear's Ears, Indigenous Sovereignty, Navajo, Sacred sites, Utah

My Navajo homeland is the great expanse of land between four sacred mountains in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. It is our place of origin and Navajo spiritual traditions are rooted here. Even when we were forcibly removed from our homeland by the federal government’s army in the 19th century, our spiritual and cultural connection to these lands has never been extinguished. Utah Navajos still make use of this historic homeland, which is now known as the 1.35-million-acre Bears Ears National Monument, designated by President Obama in 2016. It is where we practice our ceremonies; gather herbs, firewood and cedar poles; hunt for game; rejuvenate our spirits and caretake our sacred places.

Mexican Indigenous Group Fights To Preserve Sacred Sites

June 7, 2024 Maya Piedra, Resilience. Resist! AMLO, Indigenous Rights, Mexico, Sacred sites

Guadalajara, Mexico — Dressed in white clothing embroidered in colors and symbols representing the sacred universe, Mario Muñoz Cayetano, a man with a good-natured expression and deep gaze, speaks on the importance of a presidential decree to legally protect sacred territory. “For us, nature is one big, gigantic church, but we don’t need cement or even a building in order to respect it. A hill, a cave, a spring, a river, rocks, mountains … to us, they are temples,” says Muñoz, president emeritus of the Wixárika Union of Ceremonial Centers of Jalisco, Durango and Nayarit A.C., an organization made up of Wixaritari that monitors the conservation and protection of sacred sites.

Apache Stronghold Standing In The Way Of A Massive Copper Mine

May 13, 2024 Brandi Morin, Ricochet Resist! Apache, Arizona, colonization, Indigenous Rights, Landback, Mining, Oak Flat, Sacred sites

In the heart of the Arizona high desert lies a battle for the soul of the land. The ancient, sacred grounds of Apache Native territory are under threat from a looming giant — a massive copper mine that promises riches for the locals, and a pathway to the so-called green transition. But, as is often the case, it comes at a cost. The San Carlos Apache tribe calls it Chi’chil Bildagoteel, English speakers call it Oak Flat. It sits on a mountainous plateau within a 17.3-kilometer oasis in the Tonto National Forest. Rio Tinto and BHP, two of the world’s biggest mining companies, have staked their claim here through a joint venture called Resolution Copper.

Tribal Groups Want Full Ninth Circuit Court To Rehear Oak Flat Appeal

April 30, 2024 Crystal Owens, Law 360. Resist! Indigenous Sovereignty, Legal System, Oak Flat, Sacred sites

An Apache nonprofit is asking the Ninth Circuit's entire 29-judge panel to review its lawsuit that seeks to block a copper mining company from destroying a sacred Indigenous religious site, arguing that an en banc hearing is warranted given the appellate court's latest split decision on the land transfer. In a 268-page petition for a special en banc rehearing, the Apache Stronghold on Monday argued that Ninth Circuit panels have now twice tried to define "substantial burden" in the case's context, and, given the vast power it holds over the lives of Native Americans, unique circumstances warrant a full-court review.

Apache Stronghold Asks 29-Judge Appeals Court To Save Oak Flat

April 16, 2024 Ryan Colby, Becket. Resist! Arizona, Indigenous Rights, Land Rights, Legal System, Oak Flats, Sacred sites

Washington - A coalition of Western Apaches and allies today asked all 29 judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to protect their sacred site at Oak Flat from destruction by a mining project. In Apache Stronghold v. United States, a special “en banc” panel of eleven judges split 6-5 earlier this year, refusing to stop the federal government from transferring Oak Flat to Resolution Copper, a foreign-owned mining company that plans to turn Oak Flat into a massive mining crater, ending Apache religious practices forever.

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