Posted by Protect Thacker Pass, March 4, 2022
On February 25th, the State of Nevada issued three permits to Canadian mining company Lithium Nevada, legally authorizing them to pollute air, water, and soils with toxic and dangerous substances including arsenic, antimony, uranium, sulfuric acid, sulfur dioxide, and millions of tons of greenhouse gases.
These permits protect the corporation from legal liability for polluting and other destructive actions that are morally reprehensible and would be punishable by law if committed by an individual.
By definition, a permit is a legal document giving permission to an individual or organization for activities that would otherwise be illegal. Therefore, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, which issued these permits, is not protecting the environment, but rather legalizing its destruction.
It should not be surprising that NDEP issued these permits, because regulations are often written to prioritize the rights of corporations over the rights of nature and human communities.
An NDEP employee stated in a public meeting last year that the agency “never denies permits.” NDEP Administrator Greg Lovato later clarified, explaining that his agency works with companies to improve permit applications that don’t meet state guidelines. This is exactly the problem. Our public employees, supposedly dedicated to protecting the environment, are working with destructive industries to ensure their operations are legal and protect them from liability. All paid for by your tax dollars.
By permitting the Thacker Pass mine over the objections of local people and tribes, NDEP is not serving the public, they are serving corporate interests. By permitting the destruction of essential habitat for declining wildlife species and permitting the release of toxic substances into air, water, and soil, NDEP is not protecting the environment, they are making the problem worse…
Read the full article at Protect Thacker Pass.