One of these is not like the others.
How a rare plant species could hinder a needed lithium mine - Roll Call
Obviously Biden should vow to shut down this lithium mine project, and our one active mine too, for good measure, and demand the industry produce more lithium. Easy peasy.
How a rare plant species could hinder a needed lithium mine - Roll Call
Skyrocketing demand for domestically sourced lithium to meet federal goals for zero-emission technologies has developers planning for the next great mining boon in the Silver State, but a rare wildflower may stymie one proposed project.
The site of a proposed lithium mine in western Nevada's Silver Peak Range also happens to be the only known place on Earth where a rare wildflower grows in the wild. Environmentalists say the plant is on the verge of extinction, and it's being considered by the Fish and Wildlife Service for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Tiehm’s buckwheat faces multiple threats to its survival, including grazing, invasive species and the effects of climate change, but the service said the most pressing threat is posed by mineral exploration and development.
The site of a proposed lithium mine in western Nevada's Silver Peak Range also happens to be the only known place on Earth where a rare wildflower grows in the wild. Environmentalists say the plant is on the verge of extinction, and it's being considered by the Fish and Wildlife Service for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Tiehm’s buckwheat faces multiple threats to its survival, including grazing, invasive species and the effects of climate change, but the service said the most pressing threat is posed by mineral exploration and development.
First discovered in 1983, the plant can be found on an area of less than 10 acres administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The plant has adapted to live in boron and lithium-rich soil of the landscape, and with only roughly 40,000 existing plants in the wild, biologists have said it warrants immediate protection under the ESA. A listing would then be considered during BLM’s determination on whether to permit the mine.
While aiming to meet various domestic climate targets, including reducing emissions by as much as 52 percent by the end of the decade, policymakers have increasingly advocated for domestic mining as a way to reduce reliance on foreign powers and bring jobs to rural communities. But that push has raised questions about the environmental harms they may bring. Another mine proposed by Lithium Americas Corp. in northern Nevada’s Thacker Pass has also drawn criticism over its potential effect on the wider ecosystem.
However, Donnelly said that ultimately there is no choice between lithium and Tiehm’s buckwheat.
“There's sometimes this narrative put forward that ‘Well, is Joe Biden going to choose lithium, or is he going to choose endangered species here?’” said Donnelly. “And we would argue the Endangered Species Act does not allow you to make that choice. The Endangered Species Act makes the choice for us. It is the policy of this country: We don't let species go extinct.”
However, Donnelly said that ultimately there is no choice between lithium and Tiehm’s buckwheat.
“There's sometimes this narrative put forward that ‘Well, is Joe Biden going to choose lithium, or is he going to choose endangered species here?’” said Donnelly. “And we would argue the Endangered Species Act does not allow you to make that choice. The Endangered Species Act makes the choice for us. It is the policy of this country: We don't let species go extinct.”
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