Quechan Nation Resists Gold Mine

by Daniel Patterson

Way down in the southeastern corner of California, not far from the Colorado River, there is a remote and spectacular place called Indian Pass. It is home to sacred Indian sites, microphyll woodland habitat and desert wildlife, including 22 plants and 61 animals listed or proposed for listing as threatened or endangered on the state or federal endangered species list. Indian Pass is yet another southwestern desert wonderland sentenced to death by multinational corporations and irresponsible Bureau of Land Management (BLM) managers. It may be a place where the Quechan and other tribes of the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance join with tough desert conservationists and revolt to stop a proposed gold mine.

The proposed 1,571-acre mine site is situated on public land managed by the BLM and open to multiple abuses, including 1872 Mining Act rip-offs. The site is a de-facto wilderness about nine miles west of the Colorado River. The Vancouver, BC based Glamis Gold, Ltd. wants to turn this sacred desert wilderness into the Imperial Project, a cyanide heap-leach gold mine, feeding a worldwide "need" for gold. Eighty-five to 90 percent of this gold will be used for jewelry. Our natural heritage is being ripped up for Rolex watches and gold plated sport-utility vehicle bumpers.

Indian Pass has been sacred to the Quechan Nation for over 10,000 years. It is surrounded with four distinct types of mountains, each formed by a different natural process. The mountains, the four natural creation ways, and the four directions have great spiritual meaning to the Quechans. Indian Pass is still used for native religious ceremonies. Young men are brought to ancient sleeping circles to fast and pray under the guidance of tribal elders. It is also a powerful place that any desert rat would love: One-hundred mile vistas, jagged peaks, big ironwood washes, bats, silence, power.

Last winter, a draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) was released for public review. Quechan leaders and southern California conservationists say this is clearly an inadequate document under the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act. The BLM held hearings across the region; at each meeting the public expressed that the impacts of this mine were unmitigatable and unacceptable. At a hearing last winter, Pauline Owl, chairwoman of the Quechan Cultural Committee, told the BLM El Centro Area Manager, Terry Reed that if he approves the proposal Quechans would occupy the site and, "you will have to kill us [before we'll allow the mine]." Activists also blasted the laughable $30 per acre reclamation plan that included leaving a 900-foot-deep hole and 300-foot-high waste rock and heap leach piles. Habitat compensation for microphyll woodland, an important sensitive desert wash habitat, for which BLM does not even know area distribution or viability, was set much too low, mitigating only one acre for every pristine acre destroyed. An estimated 33 to 57 threatened desert tortoises would be killed as "incidental takes."

Due to strong opposition from the Quechans, conservationists and US Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the BLM was forced to prepare a new EIS/EIR for the Imperial Project, delaying any possible BLM decision until the winter of 1998. Paper wrenchers are working on legal challenges which may result in an important case between the 1872 Mining Act and laws about Native American rights.

On Thanksgiving, about 50 Quechan leaders and desert activists gathered at the site to feast and strategize. Preston Arroweed led the Quechan men in singing as young Quechan women danced.

Lorey Cachora, a Quechan archaeologist, talked about the spiritual significance of the area Glamis Imperial wants to mine, "It has a couple of windows we can use to go into other worlds. There are dream trails we use to learn whatever we need." Mr. Cachora also indicated that Quechans were prepared to "bring out the Eagle feathers," a sign that they are ready to make an uncompromising stand to defend Indian Pass. Indeed, the area is rich with ancient sacred significance, natural desert wilderness beauty and native habitat supporting biodiversity such as the Yuma puma, flat-tailed horned lizard, California leaf-nosed bat and the rare Fairyduster plant.

The new EIS/EIR is out and, not surprisingly, the project still stinks. BLM managers in the California Desert District favor the mine project (imagine that!). A decision could come as soon as February. Cyanide mining for gold is totally unacceptable, especially in sacred wilderness. The people will stop this project. Quechans are planning the next Indian Pass gathering for around New Year's.

Please help the campaign by contacting these men by January 27 and tell them "No mine at Indian Pass! Period!" Douglas Romoli, BLM El Centro RA, 1661 S. 4th St., El Centro, CA 92243; (909) 697-5237; fax (760) 337-4490. Imperial County Planning Dept., 939 Main St., El Centro, CA 92243; Contact Glamis Gold, Ltd. 3324 Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir St. V7X1A1. For campaign support info contact Baja Ecotopia EF! at POB 7745, San Diego, CA 92167; (619) 581-3250; e-mail: sdef@envirolink.org.