1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

Please protect Oak Flat, which is sacred land to the San Carlos Apache and numerous tribes, as well as climbers and recreationalists. The General Mining Act of 1872 as well as Section 3003 of a National Defense Authorization Act, the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act, should not override Religious Freedom and destruction of one of Arizona's functioning wetlands. This land has been significant for thousands of generations, so it should not be sold off to foreign mining companies for short-term economic benefit due to land ownership rights. The San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation has been nicknamed “Hell’s Forty Acres” due to the poor quality and health of the environment allocated to them, so why take more from them only to be destroyed? It is not moral. It is not ethical. It is not sustainable. There is no justice. Please do not allow the land to be sold. Three groups have already challenged the U.S. Forest Service in the 9th Circuit to Hear Appeals Challenging Arizona’s Oak Flat Land Exchange, so please do not allow the rigidness and solidarity of the General Mining Act of 1872 to destroy a part of Arizona’s humanity. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes funding and authorities for the U.S. military and other defense priorities to ensure that America's forces have the proper equipment, resources, and training, so why is it being allowed to be exchanged with British-Australian companies? Section 3003 of this Act, as it pertains to the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act, has nothing to do with supporting the NDAA; the NDAA is supposed to support American forces, not British-Australian companies. For the sake of respecting and upholding the Constitution, Religious Freedom, Trust Responsibilities, and ecological function/connectivity, please Protect Oak Flat.