The guest for this month’s episode is Access Fund’s Policy Analyst, Curt Shannon. Access Fund and other allies have been working on protecting Oak Flat, an incredible area outside of Phoenix, Arizona, for over 15 years, and Shannon has been focused on protecting this world-class climbing area for almost a decade. Oak Flat is under threat of mining, which would forever decimate not just the area’s climbing resources but also significant Indigenous resources. In March of 2021, climbers and members of Indigenous tribes caught a break in protecting Oak Flat. We aren’t across the finish line quite yet, but in this podcast, Curt expresses his optimism on where we stand right now and what the future holds for Oak Flat. Follow along as Curt recaps several significant events that have influenced the fate of what would be the largest loss of climbing resources on America’s public lands.Oak Flat Saved (For Now): https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/breaking-oak-flat-saved-for-nowSave Oak Flat Act: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/new-bill-seeks-to-save-oak-flatOak Flat’s Beginnings: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/new-land-exchange-proposal-introduced-into-congress-for-oak-flat-azThe EIS: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/in-final-days-trump-initiates-transfer-of-oak-flat-access-fund-suesH.R. 1884: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1884?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22hr+1884%22%5D%7D&s=3&r=1S. 915: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/915?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22s+915%22%5D%7D&s=2&r=1Inter Tribal Council of Arizona: https://itcaonline.com/Arizona Mining Reform Coalition: https://azminingreform.org/Center for Biological Diversity: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/Earthworks: https://www.earthworks.org/Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club: https://www.sierraclub.org/arizona