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CORRECTION
A December 2 Cronkite News story about a protest urging Sen. Mark Kelly to support legislation protecting Oak Flat misrepresented outreach to Kelly’s office for comment. The story has been updated to include a statement from Kelly.

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PHOENIX, Arizona — Members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and students from Brophy and Xavier high schools protested outside Sen. Mark Kelly’s office Thursday, urging the Arizona Democrat to support legislation protecting a sacred site threatened by a proposed copper mine near Superior.

The group of about 20 demonstrators held up signs saying, “Save Oak Flat” and “Senator Mark Kelly – Protect Our Religion.”

Protesters want Kelly to support the Save Oak Flat Act, sponsored in the Senate by Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and in the House by Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson. Neither bill has moved forward since the spring. [S.915 | H.R.1884]

“Mining is an important part of Arizona’s history and a major contributor to our economy,” Kelly said in a statement. “I’m continuing to evaluate the environmental impacts of this and any project like it. I have met with and heard from leaders of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, local elected officials, and folks on both sides of the issue. As this is considered by the courts and the Forest Service, I will continue to hear from stakeholders and remain committed to respecting tribal sovereignty and ensuring our state has the infrastructure and water supply needed to prosper.”Kelly’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The bill aims to protect Oak Flat – considered sacred by Apache and other Indigenous people – from a vast copper mine proposed in the Tonto National Forest about 60 miles east of Phoenix. Mining could lead the land to collapse and leave behind a 2-mile crater.

Oak Flat, known to the Apache as Chi’Chil’Ba’Goteel, was federally protected until it became part of a land swap approved by federal officials in 2014. Under the deal, the federal government agreed to exchange public land that included Oak Flat to Resolution Copper, a joint venture by Rio Tinto on BHP.

The land holds religious and cultural significance to Indigenous communities, especially the San Carlos Apache, who still hold ceremonies on the land.

Brophy senior Aidan Parr, 18, said destroying the land is a cultural attack on the Native American community.

“If there was a huge copper deposit discovered under St. Peter’s Basilica, no one would be like, ‘Let’s mine it even if it destroys the church,’” he said.

Sandra Rambler, a San Carlos Apache, said her ancestors were buried on Oak Flat ground, so she feels strongly about keeping the land sacred and free from mining.

“Leave them alone, leave our way of life alone,” she said.

The bill follows years of uncertainty regarding the status of the land. Arguments in a lawsuit filed in January by the nonprofit Apache Stronghold were made before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in October. A ruling is expected next year.

The group’s website says its mission is “to battle continued colonization, defend holy sites and freedom of religion.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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Note: This story originally appeared on Cronkite News. It is published via a Creative Commons license. Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

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9th Circuit Court of Appeals: Apache Stronghold v. United States (October 22, 2021)
‘It’s who we are’: Apache people take fight for sacred site to federal court (October 20, 2021)
House Committee on Natural Resources markup on budget reconciliation (September 2, 2021)
Cronkite News: Religious groups join fight to protect sacred Apache site (May 13, 2021)
Cronkite News: Bill to protect sacred Apache site debated on Capitol Hill (May 6, 2021)
House committee markup on Save Oak Flat Act and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer Act (April 28, 2021)
Legislative Hearing on H.R.1884, the Save Oak Flat Act (April 13, 2021)
Bill to permanently protect sacred Apache site up for first hearing (April 8, 2021)
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation letter on sacred Apache site (March 29, 2021)
Bill introduced to protect sacred Apache site from development (March 15, 2021)
Cronkite News: Biden administration puts halt to mine at sacred Apache site (March 4, 2021)
San Carlos Apache Tribe cheers ‘right move’ to protect sacred site from copper mine (March 1, 2021)
Cronkite News: Deb Haaland shares her vision for Interior Department (March 1, 2021)
Cronkite News: Judge won’t stop copper mine on sacred Apache site (February 15, 2021)
Cronkite News: Apache Stronghold fights to protect sacred site from foreign mine (February 9, 2021)
Cronkite News: Republican pardoned in connection with Oak Flat land deal (January 21, 2021)