Op-ed: At Oak Flat, We’re Putting U.S. National Security at Risk By Handing Our Land, Copper, and Water to China

This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the on Real Clear Energy on May 28, 2025.

At a time when policymakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for greater domestic control of critical minerals, Camilla Simon, HECHO Executive Director, highlights in this op-ed a deeply concerning contradiction in this compelling op-ed. This land swap would give away 2,422 acres of U.S. public land and one of the nation's richest copper deposits to a foreign-owned mining company with ties to China. The implications are profound not only for Tribal sovereignty but also for national security, water security, and America's long-term self-reliance.