The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and other opponents of the planned Thacker Pass lithium mine plan to march to the Bruce R. Thompson Courthouse on Thursday, January 5, and rally outside.
Inside the building, a federal judge will hear arguments from attorneys representing tribes, environmental groups, and a local rancher who have all sued to halt the mine, as well as from Lithium Nevada—the company behind the mine—and the Bureau of Land Management, which permitted the project.
The final oral arguments scheduled for Thursday represent the culmination of a two-year legal battle, but Judge Miranda Du isn’t expected to make a decision on the case until at least the week after tomorrow.
Thacker Pass, known as Peehee Mu’huh in Paiute, is considered a sacred site to regional tribes whose ancestors lived in the area for thousands of years, and were massacred there on at least two occasions, according to the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony.
Lithium Nevada says that its lithium mine will be essential to producing batteries for combating global warming. The Biden administration has previously indicated some support for Thacker Pass.
Opponents of the project have called this “greenwashing,” arguing that the project would harm important wildlife habitat and create significant pollution.
