Rep. Grijalva Introduces First Bill: The Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act

Washington, D.C. - Newly elected Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07) today introduced her first piece of legislation in Congress - the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act. First introduced by her father in 2015, the landmark bill would repeal the 2014 controversial National Defense Authorization Act rider that handed over 2,422 acres of Arizona’s Tonto National Forest, including the sacred site of Oak Flat (Chi’chil Biłdagoteel), to a foreign mining corporation.  

The legislation protects a site of profound religious, cultural, historical, and environmental importance to Tribal Nations in Arizona and across the country. It also halts a mining project that would deplete Arizona’s scarce water resources, create one of the largest toxic waste sites in North America, and transfer U.S. copper to a foreign mining venture with direct shareholder ties to the government of the People’s Republic of China.

The project is also subject to multiple lawsuits, which President Trump has directly intervened.  The text of the bill is available here. 

Rep. Adelita Grijalva issued the following statement:

“As my first bill in Congress, the Save Oak Flat From Foreign Mining Act reflects both my values and policy priorities: standing up for communities who have been ignored for too long, promoting responsible stewardship of our natural resources and tribal sovereignty, and ensuring that Arizona’s future isn’t sacrificed for short-term profit. My father, Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva, fought for Oak Flat throughout his career, and I am proud to pick up the mantle in continuing this fight. When President Trump calls Tribal leaders and advocates ‘anti-American,’ it only underscores the urgency of correcting this injustice.”  

“Oak Flat is sacred, irreplaceable, and it should never have been traded away to foreign mining giants in a backroom deal that ignored Tribal Nations, silenced the public, and put Arizona’s water and national security at risk. This legislation is about repealing an indefensible land swap, respecting Tribal sovereignty and religious freedom, and protecting Arizona’s precious natural resources for future generations.  

“This mine was never designed to benefit the American people; it was designed to benefit multinational corporations and the People’s Republic of China. I am proud to stand with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, Apache Stronghold, and numerous other organizations and communities across Arizona – and the nation – who have fought for decades to protect Chi’chil Biłdagoteel. It’s long past time to make this right.”

Background on the Bill

This bill would repeal a rider inserted in the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that authorized the transfer of 2,422 acres of Arizona’s Tonto National Forest land, including 740 acres of the Oak Flat Historic District, to foreign mining companies for development of the largest copper mine in North America. The Oak Flat area, also known as Chi’chil Bildagoteel, is of significant cultural and religious importance to many tribal communities in Arizona, including the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

Prior to the land transfer’s insertion in the FY15 NDAA, it existed as a stand-alone bill that was fiercely opposed by tribal nations and tribal organizations nationwide. To circumvent this opposition, foreign-owned mining interests manipulated a backroom deal to include the land transfer as a midnight rider to the FY15 NDAA. The inclusion of this provision denigrated the legislative process and did not allow for any transparency or tribal consultation.

Resolution Copper is a joint venture of the world’s two largest foreign mining entities, Rio Tinto and BHP formed to acquire Oak Flat to extract copper primarily for export to the People’s Republic of China. Rio Tinto’s largest shareholder is Chinalco, is a company wholly owned by the People’s Republic of China. There is no requirement for Resolution Copper to smelt, refine, or sell the copper it extracts to benefit the United States. And Rio Tinto stated in comments to the Department of Commerce dated April 1, 2025, that China is ‘‘the most profitable destination for almost any mine in the world to sell its copper.”

This foreign mining venture plans to irrevocably desecrate Oak Flat through a destructive technique known as block cave mining. After mining activities are concluded, a 2 mile-long crater will occupy the space where Oak Flat once stood for millennia. The mine will drain the region’s scarce water resources and leave behind a 14.4 square mile superfund site to store 1.4 billion tons of toxic waste that will pose grave danger to downstream towns and communities. In August of this year, the Arizona State Land Department objected to Resolution Copper’s proposed mine because it would withdraw substantial amounts of groundwater from the East Salt River Valley, causing irreversible damage and earth fissures.

Statements of Support

Chairman Terry Rambler, San Carlos Apache Tribe

“The San Carlos Apache Tribe thanks Rep. Adelita Grijalva for introducing this legislation that her father, former Rep. Raul Grijalva, previously championed to protect sacred Oak Flat. For hundreds of years, the Oak Flat area, known in Western Apache as Chi’chil Bildagoteel meaning “a broad flat of Emory oak trees”, has been a place of cultural and religious significance to our people. The Resolution Mine not only would destroy sacred Oak Flat, but this colossal project also threatens U.S. national security, Arizona will suffer catastrophic damage to its water supply, and the Mine is a looming disaster for Arizona, our Tribe and the Nation.”

President Sandra Pattea, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation

"The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation supports the protection and preservation of Oak Flat. This sacred site holds profound cultural, historical, and spiritual significance for our Yavapai people, serving as a vital link to our history, heritage, culture, and traditions. We call upon Congress to recognize its importance and ensure its continued protection for future generations."  

Chairman Verlon Jose, Tohono O’odham Nation

"The Tohono O'odham Nation supports Rep. Adelita Grijalva's legislation to save sacred indigenous land at Oak Flat from being destroyed by the proposed Resolution copper mine east of Superior. Rep. Grijalva is committed to fighting for the rights of all Native Americans. Desecrating sacred tribal lands goes against everything we value and is just wrong."  

Wendsler Nosie, Sr., Apache Stronghold

“Oak Flat is the cornerstone of our faith — the place where generations of Apache have gathered, prayed, and connected with the Creator since time immemorial. It is not a resource to be exploited for profit. It is a holy place where our children and grandchildren must be able to walk, just as our ancestors did. Apache Stronghold gives its full support to Rep. Grijalva’s Save Oak Flat Act.”

Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter

"Sierra Club appreciates and supports Representative Adelita Grijalva introducing the Save Oak Flat Act to reverse a travesty and keep Oak Flat from becoming a huge crater in the ground, to protect Arizona's water resources, and to recognize and safeguard these lands sacred to numerous Tribal Nations. The land exchange was never a good idea – in fact it was such a bad idea it could not get through the process as a standalone bill. We recognize it as an even worse idea today as we know more about the pollution associated with the mine from a massive tailings pile, the amount of water it would consume at a time when we are seeing dwindling water resources, and the degree of land subsidence that would result in a two-mile-wide and one-thousand-feet-deep crater. Rep. Grijalva's bill puts Tribal sacred sites, Arizona water, and protection of the land ahead of the interests and excessive profits of multinational mining giants."

Daisy Purdy, National Wildlife Federation

“Tribal sovereignty is nonnegotiable – and so are the religious and cultural rights of the San Carlos Apache and other Indigenous communities. This important legislation honors Tribal sovereignty while also stopping the development of an unnecessary and unacceptable copper mine at Chi’chil Biłdagoteel. This legislation reminds the administration to reverse course and commit to respecting Tribal sovereignty and trust responsibilities, honoring Treaty rights, engaging in Free Prior and Informed Consent, and ensuring responsible stewardship of Indigenous cultural and religious sites.”

Camilla Simon, Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO)

“This giveaway of U.S. public lands and copper to a foreign-owned company was buried in a midnight rider that denied Americans hearings, debate, transparency, and a fair say in the fate of Oak Flat from the very beginning. HECHO applauds Rep. Grijalva’s effort to protect Arizona’s natural resources, local communities, and our national security. The proposed mine will consume 250 billion gallons of water in a state facing a historic water crisis, leave behind nearly 1.4 billion tons of toxic waste, and likely strengthen China’s supply chains more than America’s, posing real risks to our economy and security.”

Rev. Jennifer Hawks, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

“Sacred land isn’t always marked with a steeple. At CBF, we are honored to stand beside Rep. Adelita Grijalva, the San Carlos Apache Tribe and all others who want to protect Chí’chil Biłdagoteel. Allowing this mine to open undermines our national security interests, exacerbates the water crisis plaguing the American Southwest, and ignores our commitment to religious freedom.”

Rev. Andrew Black, EarthKeepers 360

“Protecting Oak Flat is not only about saving sacred land — it’s about honoring Indigenous rights, safeguarding irreplaceable cultural heritage, and ensuring that our nation’s values are never traded away for short-term gain. The Save Oak Flat Act takes a stand for justice, stewardship, culture, and future generations.”

Amanda Tyler, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty

"Sacred land without a steeple is no less deserving of protection than a big, steepled church in the heart of downtown.Too often the U.S. has failed when given opportunities to protect the religious freedom of our Indigenous neighbors. This is a chance to get it right and make the promise of the First Amendment a little truer for us all."

Erik Murdock, Access Fund

“Access Fund and the climbing community supports the protection of Oak Flat, a sacred land that boasts invaluable natural, cultural and recreational resources. We appreciate Representative Grijalva's bill because we agree that handing over public lands and valuable mineral resources to a foreign mining company at the expense of tribes, recreation and the environment does not align with the interests of Americans. We cannot let the ill-conceived Oak Flat land exchange set a precedent for our public lands.”

Russ McSpadden, Center for Biological Diversity

“This bill is vital for protecting Oak Flat, a cathedral of birds, springs, oaks, bears and riparian canyons. No one has the right to destroy a Native American holy site. Period. I’m grateful to Rep. Adelita Grijalva for standing with Tribal nations and with everyone who believes public lands, biodiversity, water and sacred sites shouldn’t be sacrificed to corporate greed. It’s past time for Congress to defend Oak Flat with the courage this moment demands.”