Coverage of tribal natural resources is supported in part by Catena Foundation
A recent legal decision has put a temporary halt on a controversial land transfer in Arizona, underscoring the ongoing conflict between cultural preservation and resource extraction. A federal judge in Arizona has issued an injunction to stall the transfer of Oak Flat, a site sacred to the Apache tribe, to Resolution Copper, a large mining company.
Judge Steven Logan of the Arizona District Court ruled in favor of Apache Stronghold, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting indigenous sacred sites. The judge emphasized that the group’s arguments about fundamental freedoms carried more weight than the financial considerations presented by the defense.
The court acknowledged the potential for irreversible damage to Oak Flat, located within Tonto National Forest, if the injunction were not granted. Judge Logan stated that the plaintiffs “presented serious questions on the merits that warrant the Supreme Court’s careful scrutiny, should it agree to grant cert.”
Resolution Copper responded to the ruling by stating that the injunction “simply maintains the status quo, but changes nothing about the merits of the legal issues currently before the Supreme Court.”
The temporary injunction will remain effective until the U.S. Supreme Court decides on Apache Stronghold’s petition. This decision has been postponed multiple times since November, indicating the complexity and significance of the case.
For more details on this case, visit this article.
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