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Conservationists and a Native American tribe have filed a lawsuit against the United States government to block a lithium-boron mining company in Nevada.
Both parties cited concern that the company, Ioneer Ltd., will drive the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat to extinction.
The lawsuit, filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Western Shoshone Defense Project, claimed that the mine will disrupt groundwater, destroy critical habitat, and harm culturally significant sites for the Western Shoshone people.
The U.S. Department of Interior approved the mine despite prior warnings from wildlife experts about the plant’s status as an endangered species as of December 2022, reported the Center for Biological Diversity.
While Ioneer Vice President Chad Yeftich said the permitting process was “thorough,” the lawsuit alleges potential violations of the Endangered Species Act, citing that up to one-fifth of the plant’s critical habitat could be demolished.
“We are confident that the BLM will prevail,” he said to the Associated Press.
With fewer than 30,000 plants remaining, conservationists argue that allowing the mine to go forward contradicts efforts to address climate change while preserving biodiversity.
According to the National Library of Medicine, the plant has nutritional and medicinal value. Since it has no gluten, it can be used to treat celiac disease and wheat allergy. It also has the potential to be used for developing gluten-free products.
In June over 100 scientists submitted a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which manages 10% of U.S. public land. They said they are concerned that the mine would put the plant “on a path to extinction.”
Ford Motor Company has already struck a deal with Ioneer to buy lithium to build batteries for electric vehicles. The mine’s construction is planned to begin next year in light of its legal challenges.
This isn’t the first lawsuit filed in an effort to protect endangered species. The Center for Biological Diversity filed its first lawsuit against Mexico to protect three species of Hammerhead sharks. A conservation group filed a similar lawsuit to protect a parasitic bumblebee two years ago. That same year a rare flower from the Virgin Islands received endangered species status and protection after 47 years of advocating for it by conservationists.
