Department of Defense.The Southeast Arizona Land Exchange, pushed by AZ Representatives Gosar & Kirkpatrick and Arizona Senators McCain & Flake (and prior to Flake, Sen. House and the Senate and became law on December 19, 2014. 'Buck' McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, which was passed by the U.S. The Southeast Arizona Land Exchange was one of the bills attached to the Carl Levin and Howard P. We are fighting to repeal this land exchange. Currently the Forest Service is undertaking an environmental impact statement, a legally mandated assessment that must be completed before the land exchange is finalized. Apache and mining-reform activists had been successfully fighting the proposal for nearly a decade before this вЂњbackroom dealвЂќ was made in Congress. The bill included the Oak Flat land exchangeВ which gave multinational mining company Resolution Copper this area, located in Tonto National Forest, to build one of the worldвЂ™s largest copper mines, the largest in North America.В The mine is slated to permanently decimate Oak Flat and surrounding desert features. Home to a diverse desert ecosystem, itвЂ™s also currently federal land within the Tonto National Forest.В In December 2014, in the 11th hour, Arizona Senators, JohnВ McCain and Jeff Flake attached a land-exchange rider to the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act Bill. Oak Flat is an area about an hour east of Phoenix that is a sacred site known to Apaches as ChiвЂ™chil BiЕ‚dagoteel. The four crosses are now part of the body of ChiвЂ™chil BiЕ‚dagoteel. Government, at times in our history, has imprisoned us on our Reservations and not allowed us to come here.В We have established an encampment to protect the Holy Ground atВ ChiвЂ™chil BiЕ‚dagoteel with its four crosses, representing the entire surrounding sacred area, including its water, animals, oak trees, and other plants central to our tribal identity. We have never lost our relationship to ChiвЂ™chil BiЕ‚dagoteel, though the U.S. This is a place that has special significance- a place where we pray, collect water and medicinal plants for ceremonies, gather acorns and other foods, and honor those that are buried here. ChiвЂ™chil BiЕ‚dagoteel (also known as Oak Flat) is a sacred site for our Apache people and many other Native Americans. We work from San Carlos, Arizona connecting ApachesВ and other Native and non-Native allies from all over the world. Apache Stronghold, San Carlos, Arizona, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community organization ofВ individuals who come together in unity to battle continued colonization, defend Holy sites and freedom of religion, and are dedicated to building a better community throughВ neighborhood programs and civic engagement.

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