The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) last week sent letters to U.S. House of Representatives leadership and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which convey the ACHP’s support for provisions of the Save Oak Flat Act. Oak Flat is a place of profound religious and cultural importance to multiple Indian tribes that would be substantially damaged by the proposed Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and the Resolution Copper Project. The letters also were shared with the Secretary of Agriculture and others in the Congress and the Administration.
Previously, as part of the Section 106 review process, on March 29, 2021, the ACHP urged the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to work with the Biden Administration and Congress to take immediate steps to amend or repeal provisions of the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 that directs the transfer of Oak Flat out of federal control for the purposes of mining, or otherwise prevent the transfer from happening as proposed. USDA is still considering the ACHP’s recommendations.
Section 4 of the Save Oak Flat Act would achieve this goal of reversing the land transfer and better ensure the long-term protection of Oak Flat and the hundreds of other historic properties which stand to be adversely affected by mining activities should the transfer go forward.