Bill > HR6391

This bill seeks to repeal section 3003 of the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and protect an area called Oak Flat in Arizona's Tonto National Forest from mining by Resolution Copper, a joint venture between foreign mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP. The bill highlights concerns that the proposed copper mining operation would primarily benefit China, consume massive amounts of groundwater, cause significant environmental damage, and disregard the cultural significance of the land to Indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill would withdraw Oak Flat from all forms of public land entry, mining claims, and mineral leasing, effectively blocking Resolution Copper's plans to create a massive mining crater that would be 2 miles wide and over 1,000 feet deep. The legislation emphasizes that the original land exchange was inserted as a "closed-door, last-minute rider" in the 2015 NDAA and argues that the mining project would deplete critical water resources, potentially causing over 4 feet of land subsidence in the East Salt River Valley, and pose significant risks to local communities and Indigenous cultural heritage sites. The bill also critiques Rio Tinto's global environmental and human rights record, including a previous incident where the company destroyed ancient Indigenous sites in Australia.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6391/all-info