A U.S. appeals court has denied an attempt by tribes to halt the construction of North America’s largest lithium mine in Nevada, approved by the U.S. government.

Court decision: On Monday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the approval of the Thacker Pass mine by the U.S. government did not violate federal environmental laws.
* Jonathan Evans, CEO of Lithium Americas, expressed confidence in the legal integrity of the permitting process for the mine.
* Despite opposition from the Paiute tribes and environmentalists, construction activities are set to continue.

Tribal objections: For two years, several area tribes and environmental groups have been trying to block or delay the mine’s construction.
* Their arguments include that the approval process was rushed without proper consultation with Native communities.
* Rick Eichstaedt, an attorney for the Burns Paiute Tribe, criticized the selection of only three tribes for consultation instead of the broader tribal community traditionally included.

Cultural significance: The land destined for mining is considered sacred by some Native tribes due to its association with at least two ancient massacres.
* Tribal elders still visit the area to conduct ceremonies and gather traditional plants.
* However, according to the Ninth Circuit judges’ ruling, it was only after the mine’s approval that it became known some tribes consider the land sacred.

Next steps: The full construction of the Thacker Pass mine, which will contribute to America’s domestic battery supply chains, is expected to start this summer.

View original article on NPR

This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.