RENO, Nev. — Conservationists and the Western Shoshone tribe are actively opposing the federal government’s authorization of a lithium mine in Nevada, fearing it will eradicate an endangered plant species, disrupt sacred native sites, and alter natural groundwater flows. This litigation underscores the tensions between ecological preservation and the pursuit of renewable energy resources.
The Center for Biological Diversity, alongside the Western Shoshone Defense Project, initiated legal action following the U.S. Interior Department’s approval of Ioneer Ltd.’s Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron mining project. This site, located near the California border and equidistant from Reno and Las Vegas, is the sole habitat of Tiehm’s buckwheat, a critically endangered desert wildflower.
The lawsuit emerges amid broader discussions of President Joe Biden’s clean energy initiatives, which include increasing lithium production to support electric vehicle and solar panel manufacturing. However, the project faces criticism for potentially undermining the administration’s environmental commitments.
In a reversal from previous assessments, U.S. wildlife authorities who had earlier highlighted the imminent extinction threats to Tiehm’s buckwheat approved the mine. At the end of 2022, the plant was formally listed as endangered, dismissing the possibility of a less severe threatened status due to the gravity and immediacy of the risks it faces.
Fermina Stevens, director of the Western Shoshone Defense Project, emphasized the conflict faced when trying to combat climate change at the expense of biodiversity. John Hadder, director of the Great Basin Resource Watch, also voiced concerns over the impact on indigenous cultural sites and the potential violation of key environmental laws.
Ioneer Ltd., an Australian mining company, defended the project, asserting that their permit process was rigorous and comprehensive. Chad Yeftich, vice president of Ioneer, stated the company’s readiness to defend the project alongside the U.S., expressing confidence in the legal strength of their position and noting that the construction timeline remains unaffected by the lawsuit.
The mining operation is planned close to culturally significant sites for the Western Shoshone people, including Cave Spring, a sacred site less than a mile from the project area. The lawsuit also highlights potential violations of the Endangered Species Act, noting drastic habitat losses for Tiehm’s buckwheat, with up to one-fifth of its critical habitat potentially being permanently destroyed.
Further complicating the situation, recent reports reveal additional losses to the Tiehm’s buckwheat population, compounding concerns raised by a 2020 incident where nearly 60% of the plants were lost due to rodent damage. Despite this, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggested in August that while the project would disrupt 146 acres of plant communities and permanently remove 45 acres, it would not significantly reduce the overall value of the critical habitat.
As this legal battle unfolds, it underscores the complex balance between advancing renewable energy technologies and safeguarding environmental and cultural resources. The implications of this case could have lasting effects on conservation efforts and the development of critical minerals necessary for a greener future.
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