Ongoing Legal Battle Over Arizona Copper Mine Land Exchange
In a move that reignites a contentious legal dispute, a coalition opposed to a large copper mining project in Arizona has approached the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Their aim is to challenge the recent land swap involving Oak Flat.
The land transfer was initially approved by a divided three-judge panel from the same court, which nullified multiple lawsuits and lifted a prior injunction in March. This allowed the U.S. Forest Service and Resolution Copper to finalize the land exchange.
Recently, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected another legal attempt to halt the transfer of Tonto National Forest land to Resolution Copper, allowing drilling activities to commence.
Nevertheless, groups like the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition, Center for Biological Diversity, and Sierra Club, among others, persist in their legal fight. Federal Judge Johnnie Rawlinson supports their stance, expressing in her dissenting opinion that the court must ensure every detail is scrutinized before endorsing a decision that would “completely annihilate sacred Native lands.”
Further complicating matters, the nonprofit Apache Stronghold has also sought a review of the ruling at a lower Arizona federal district court, aiming to revert the property back to public lands.
Meanwhile, the Arizona State Land Department is under pressure from over 50 groups, including Apache Stronghold, to refrain from any transactions with Resolution Copper.
Resolution Copper maintains confidence in the legal process, stating that courts have consistently ruled in their favor and urging an end to what they consider “meritless litigation.”
