Oak Flats Listed on National Register of Historic Places

In a step that could lead to the blocking of a proposed mine, The Oak Flats Campground has been added by the Forest Service to the National Register of Historic Places, which includes areas and buildings of historic importance to the country- for instance all national parks , monuments and historic sites are on the list.

As  readers may know, the land containing the campground, which is part of a National Forest, was  included in a land swap  included in a last minute rider to the 2014 Defense bill tucked in by Senator McCain.  the land was to to be given to Mining Giant Rio Tinto, who would turn the area into an open pit mine in order to extract the copper underneath .The Apache consider the land sacred, and have been  occupying the land for over a year to prevent its  development. The area was set aside in the 1950s by President Eisenhower as off-limits to mining, but it was not given monument status which  would have precluded any mining in the area.

Congress can either pass legislation to revoke the land swap, or President Obama can nullify it by declaring the area a monument. As long as the Apache occupy the area, the government retains control over the property, and a monument designation would revert the area , permanently, to government control. Monuments are permanent designations, and take effect immediately. While Rio Tinto would likely challenge the monument in court, the courts have consistently held that monuments are solely the presidents call, and have upheld every single one that has been challenged. they would uphold an Oak Flats National Monument, as well.