PHOENIX— A federal judge in Arizona will hear arguments Friday on two motions for a preliminary injunction to stop the Oak Flat land exchange pending further consideration of the lawsuits’ merits.

One lawsuit was filed by the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the other by a coalition of conservation and recreation groups (Arizona Mining Reform Coalition, Earthworks, the Center for Biological Diversity, Access Fund and Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon chapter) and the Inter Tribal Association of Arizona, Inc.

A third related lawsuit filed by the Apache Stronghold has proceeded on a separate schedule.

What: Oral arguments before U.S. District of Arizona Judge Dominic W. Lanza on preliminary injunction requests challenging the Oak Flat land exchange.

When: 10 a.m., Friday, June 6.

Where: Sandra Day O’Connor U.S. Courthouse, 401 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85003.

Who: Bern Velasco will argue on behalf of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Roger Flynn, Western Mining Action Project, will argue on behalf of the plaintiffs in the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition case.

Background
The Trump administration is pushing the transfer of more than 2,400 acres of federal public lands to Resolution Copper, a subsidiary of multinational mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP. The purpose is to facilitate construction of a massive copper mine that would permanently destroy Oak Flat, a sacred site of tremendous spiritual importance to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Tribes in the region.

The federal lands to be exchanged, including Oak Flat, are also home to endangered and threatened species like ocelots and Arizona hedgehog cacti. They provide invaluable recreational and ecological benefits.

Resolution intends to cave in Oak Flat’s rolling hills, leaving a crater up to two miles wide and 1,000 feet deep, using a new technique to excavate the ore body 7,000 feet underground. Massive amounts of groundwater would be pumped, depleting surface waters, obliterating sacred land, and threatening water availability across the region. Material removed from the mine would also spread toxic waste across thousands of acres of public land.