What Oxfam is Doing
- Preserving a Living for Familiy Farmers
- Protecting Workers' Rights
- Supporting Native Americans Affected by Mining
SUPPORTING NATIVE AMERICANS AFFECTED BY MINING
Oxfam is tackling rural poverty and injustice in American fields, Native American reservations, corporate boardrooms, and the halls of government.
Of the 3.8 million square miles of US territory—all originally stewarded by Native Americans—only a fraction is now designated as Native lands. And even that land isn't adequately protected from unwanted, irresponsible mining activity. With a substantial share of US mineral resources lying on or near Native reservations, Native Americans are still fighting for their rights.
Oxfam America joins the Hopi, Navajo, Western Shoshone, and other groups to fight against:
- Environmental Hazards—Cyanide leaks from gold mines, abandoned waste from uranium pits, and pollution from oil and gas drilling are just a few of the hazards of mining. Water is especially at risk of contamination or depletion by mining operations that use millions of gallons a day.
- Antiquated Laws—The 1872 General Mining Law, still in place today, allows private companies to purchase public lands for less than five dollars an acre and extract minerals without paying royalties. The law has no environmental protections or provisions for Native peoples who live on or near the land.
As Native American groups are teaming with technical, legal, and environmental experts to defend their territories, Oxfam is bolstering grassroots efforts to influence mining corporations and policymakers to respect Native lands.