Nevada
Report: Nevada’s lithium boom comes at the expense of Indigenous rights
As the Trump administration continues its push to secure critical minerals like lithium, the U.S. government and private corporations have ignored Indigenous peoples’ rights in Nevada. That’s according to a report released today by Amnesty International, which is calling for the suspension of federal permits for all lithium mines in the state.
The Silver State has emerged as a key source of lithium, the main component in electric vehicle and other batteries. About 85 percent of the country’s known reserves are in Nevada, and several Indigenous nations and organizations, alongside environmentalists, have been fighting for years against its extraction and the environmental risks that creates, including water contamination and biodiversity loss. “This is our land,” said Fermina Stevens, a member of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone and the executive director of the Western Shoshone Defense Project. “We should have a say in what happens. But I know that they don’t want us there because Nevada is so rich in all of these minerals.”
The three projects Amnesty International highlights in its report are Thacker Pass Lithium Mine, Nevada North Lithium Project, and Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project. Each is located primarily on public land that the Western Shoshone and Paiute people consider unceded territory. Thacker Pass is under construction and Rhyolite Ridge is slated to begin construction this year, while Nevada North is in the exploratory phase.
Amnesty International’s report says all three are violating Indigenous peoples’ right to free, prior, and informed consent. That principle, known as FPIC, is an international standard that affirms Indigenous peoples’ right to approve or deny projects that impact their land and communities. Although the projects were approved by federal agencies, Amnesty International argues the review processes fell short of FPIC and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP.
“They’ve got to come down on the right side,” Mark Dummett, the organization’s head of business and human rights, said of the mining companies. “They’ve got to come down on the side of human rights, rather than getting the minerals at all costs.” He added that, regardless of domestic laws in the countries in which they operate, these firms must follow international human rights standards. The report also highlights the impact of the Trump administration’s push for deregulation, including fast-tracked permits and limited environmental review, which reduces the ability of Indigenous peoples to offer full consent.
In a statement, a spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Interior said, “The climate crazed activists behind this report are notorious for making baseless claims, repeatedly rejected by courts, as part of their pathetic rage against energy production that is not only bipartisan, but proven to benefit the American people.” They also said that a review of lithium projects in Nevada by the federal Bureau of Land Management included extensive environmental review and opportunity for tribal engagement.
Nevada is experiencing a lithium boom that has seen more than 20,000 claims filed. The report also comes amid global resistance by Indigenous peoples to “green transition” mining that they say comes at the expense of their land and rights. Given the increasing demand for minerals like lithium, cobalt, and copper, Dummett said that mining companies around the world are taking advantage of gaps in regulation and human rights enforcement. “The way that this mining has always taken place has been incredibly damaging to the environment and people,” Dummett said. “We don’t want to see the mistakes of the past repeated.”
Stevens said that although her people have experienced a long history of land theft and abuse by the U.S. government and corporations, consultation has grown even more perfunctory amid the worldwide drive for lithium, which has surged since the war in Iran. “War and the military complex is all that they can see,” she said. “And so they’re blinded to the things that are sacred, that are more important for human survival. And I just don’t think that they care about those things.”
Lithium Americas, the owner of the Thacker Pass mine, disputed many of the report’s claims in a response submitted to Amnesty International, including inadequate consultation, environmental risks, and violation of Indigenous rights. Its reply also noted that UNDRIP is not binding in the United States, but argued that the project complies with it anyway. “The Thacker Pass Project has the potential to significantly advance America’s electrification efforts, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen domestic supply chains for critical minerals — strengthening America’s energy future. LAC has made stakeholder engagement, including with Tribes, an important part of the development of the Project,” its response reads.
A spokesperson for Ioneer, the owner of the Rhyolite Ridge project, said the company “respectfully but firmly disagrees with the findings released by Amnesty International,” and highlighted the company’s engagement with tribes. “We take great pride in our compliance with all U.S. legal requirements and remain committed to a transparent process that respects tribal sovereignty while delivering a reliable and secure domestic supply of critical minerals,” the spokesperson said.
Surge and Evolution, the owners of the Nevada North Lithium Project, did not respond to a request for comment, but in a response to Amnesty International, Evolution said, “We take all reasonable efforts to conduct proactive and ongoing engagement with Indigenous peoples.”
Indigenous leaders said they do not expect the mining companies to change, but will continue the fight to protect their land. “We can survive without technology, but we can’t survive without water,” Stevens said. “We can’t save the Earth through the energy transition while we’re simultaneously destroying biodiversity.”
RENO, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — A wrinkle in Nevada’s election laws means the Republican primary for Washoe County District Attorney in 2026 is a winner-take-all contest — whoever wins the GOP primary will appear on the November general election ballot unopposed and win the seat outright.
Only two Republicans tossed their hats in the ring — incumbent Chris Hicks and Sparks city attorney Wes Duncan. And because no Democrats, nonpartisans or third-party candidates filed to run, the GOP primary will determine the next district attorney.
Washoe DA GOP primary is winner-take-all because of 2015 law signed by Gov. Sandoval
FULL RACE PREVIEW: Washoe County DA race: GOP primary between Hicks, Duncan will decide next top prosecutor
The unusual dynamic leaves over two-thirds of the Washoe County electorate with no say whatsoever in selecting the county’s top prosecutor for the next four years. So why is it this way?
It’s not because of a decades-old provision in Nevada Revised Statutes, rather an intentional law change passed in 2015 and signed by then-Gov. Brian Sandoval.
Prior to 2015, if only one major party had candidates file for an office, there was no primary contest under Nevada law. Instead, all of that party’s candidates automatically advanced to the general election, where voters from all parties would select the winner.
But in 2015, Senate Bill 499 changed all of that. SB 499, sponsored by the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections, originally sought to create a top-three open primary with ranked choice voting in the general, said Doug Goodman, founder and executive director of Nevadans for Election Reform.
Goodman, who supports increasing participation for Nevada’s growing nonpartisan voting bloc, initially backed that legislation. But on amendment, those provisions were stripped out entirely and replaced with entirely different language.
Under the amended bill, a party primary must be held regardless of the number of candidates. That primary contest would determine the party’s one nominee, who would advance to the general election unopposed.
It received unanimous bipartisan support in the Nevada Senate and passed with a two-thirds majority in the Nevada Assembly. 14 Assembly Republicans voted no on Senate Bill 499, but it passed anyways and was signed into law by Gov. Sandoval.
TMCC political science professor Fred Lokken told News 4-Fox 11 he believes it’s created an undemocratic scenario.
I see this as the most undemocratic concept of elections that has ever been perpetrated.
“It’s done in a number of states, Nevada’s not the only one, but a primary is not a deciding election. There should be no decision for the fall election made months in advance when voters aren’t paying attention,” Lokken said. “It’s all in favor of the parties. It cuts down in those elections, the notion that they have to go through another round.”
In contrast, many others would argue that only a party’s voters should be able to select a party’s nominee.
Attempts to undo this change have been unsuccessful. In 2019, Assembly Bill 259 would’ve reversed that provision of the 2015 legislation — it passed in the Assembly 30-10 but never came up for a vote in the Senate that year.
Another possible solution would be to make countywide offices such as district attorney, clerk and assessor nonpartisan contests. Lokken even floated that such positions should be appointed.
“I really hope that the 2027 (Nevada) legislature is willing to reopen this and consider fixing it. A partial open primary makes a whole lot of sense, and not allowing it to be the decision-maker makes a lot of difference … I would suggest that a lot of these positions should be appointed, not elected. There are too many elections.”
Email reporter Ben Margiott at bjmargiott@sbgtv.com. Follow @BenMargiott on X and Ben Margiott KRNV on Facebook.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The state of Nevada has won a preliminary injunction against the company Polymarket, the latest blow to prediction markets in the Silver State.
A Carson City judge granted the injunction last week, forbidding Polymarket from offering any contracts for sports, elections or entertainment-related events within Nevada.
Attorney General Aaron Ford called the decision a win for Nevada’s consumers.
“Unlicensed prediction markets may not disregard the law and avoid the systems we have in place to be sure Nevadans and visitors alike are protected while gambling,” Ford said in a statement.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board won a temporary restraining order against Polymarket back in January after initiating legal action against the company.
Polymarket’s website states that people “buy and sell shares representing future event outcomes,” but unlike sportsbooks, users bet against one another rather than the “house.”
The Gaming Control Board says it considers “sports event contracts, or certain other events contracts, to constitute wagering activity” under state law, and Polymarket must be licensed.
Kalshi and Coinbase, two other popular prediction markets, are already enjoined from operating while Nevada pursues legal action against them.
Ford’s office says Crypto.com and Robinhood have voluntarily ceased offering event contracts in the state.
Serving as a home away from home, Hillel of Northern Nevada is a space that allows students at the University of Nevada, Reno to be together, rooted in their culture.
When students start college, they not only leave their homes and families, they also leave behind their communities, routines and direct support systems.
“Hillel of Northern Nevada allows students to be together, rooted in a familiar culture and religion. Whether it’s for a holiday celebration or simply to laugh and enjoy each other’s company,” Hannah Alterwitz, director of Hillel of Northern Nevada, said.
The organization, which is the Northern Nevada chapter of Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including social outings like ice skating, mini golf and craft nights, alongside cultural and religious celebrations for Shabbat and the High Holidays.
“Hillel serves as a place for Jewish students to belong. We are a social organization. We are a pluralistic group, meaning no matter how someone practices Judaism, they will always be welcome at Hillel,” Alterwitz said.
One event that stood out to Alterwitz this semester was a campus visit from U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, where students had the opportunity to ask questions and participate in deeper discussions about issues affecting students and the broader Nevada community.
“It was so impactful on the students to be able to talk openly with the Senator about the problems communities are facing every day. Students asked about ICE, AI data centers, and the rise of antisemitism across the country. To watch them have a real dialogue and come away from that conversation curious and motivated to help tackle the issues facing our country was really special,” Alterwitz said.
As Jewish American Heritage Month came to an end in May, Hillel of Northern Nevada continues building community around campus throughout the year. Alterwitz invites anyone who is interested in Jewish heritage to check the organization out.
“I hope that if a student takes anything away from this, it’s that Hillel is a place where Jewish students and those interested in Jewish culture can come and meet some great people and have some fun! Jews are not a monolith; we have lots of different opinions and backgrounds. It is such a diverse religion, but if you like good food, good friends, and Jewish culture, Hillel has a place for you,” Alterwitz said.
To learn about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved, go to @hillelofnorthernnevada on Instagram or reach out to Hannah directly at hannah.alterwitz@jewishnevada.org.
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