Tribal and Environmental Concerns Rise Over Anaconda Copper Mine Land Sale
As the future of the former Anaconda Copper Mine hangs in the balance, tribal advocates and environmentalists congregated at the Bruce R. Thompson Courthouse on Monday. The gathering was prompted by a federal injunction hearing concerning the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposal to transfer the land for free.
The mine, known for copper ore processing since 1951, is at the center of environmental contamination issues. Two Indigenous-led non-profit organizations, along with Great Basin Resource Watch, are seeking judicial intervention to stop the sale. A preliminary injunction, if granted, would temporarily halt the process.
Vernon Rogers, from the Walker Lake Paiute Tribe, expressed health concerns due to prolonged exposure to mine residue. “When the wind blows, the tailing dust blows right over the town, and it’s just a whiteout, and people breathe it in,” he stated.
Tailings, the byproducts of mining, pose risks like groundwater contamination and airborne toxic dust. Rogers highlighted the mine’s proximity to the Walker River as a significant concern for local tribes.
Joanna Emm of the Taboosi Dikudu No’Obatu Numma Cooperative shared her personal struggles, noting that her home, like others on the reservation, is affected by tailing residue. “I’m living proof, and my son does have stage four cancer right now. He was diagnosed in October, and he’s going through radiation treatment every day,” Emm revealed.
With 20 years as a Clean Water Quality coordinator, Emm fears the mine’s future impact on water resources. “Groundwater isn’t supposed to be touched at all. That’s what I was taught in my upbringing because it’s sacred. Water’s life, and the groundwater was never ever supposed to be drilled down under and taken for any purpose,” she explained.
Legal representatives for BLM and Atlantic Richfield Company declined to comment during the hearings. A decision on the preliminary injunction is anticipated within days, though the legal battle could continue for a longer period.
“We got an uphill battle, but we’re still here,” Rogers asserted, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring clean air and water for future generations.
