Our Public Lands
A podcast about our beloved and treasured public lands where I interview subject matter experts and activists from across the country who are working to protect and advocate for our public lands and their wildlife, wilderness, and cultural values.
Our Public Lands
#20 - Fighting for Endemic Species in the Great Basin w/ Patrick Donnelly
In this episode, I interview Patrick Donnelly with the Center for Biological Diversity along the banks of the Amargosa River in California near Death Valley National Park. Patrick discusses the historical and ongoing impact of human activity, such as mining, and the modern-day pressures of the lithium boom in Nevada. He discusses how the Center is fighting to protect endemic species and the water resources that sustain life in the face of increasing industrial interests. We discuss specific legal battles against lithium mines and the impact of geothermal energy projects on biodiversity. Patrick also covers the checkered history of land and wilderness protection in Nevada, and the California Desert Protection Act of 1994.
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/
02:32 Exploring the Amargosa Basin: Biodiversity and Ecosystem
03:49 Unique Species and their Adaptations
11:52 Historical and Cultural Significance of the Amargosa River Watershed
16:20 The Center for Biological Diversity: Mission and Activities
18:49 Lithium Boom and Mining Challenges in Nevada
26:03 The Impact of Lithium Mining on Tiehm's buckwheat
27:57 Water Usage in Lithium Mining
29:50 Direct Lithium Extraction at the Salton Sea
32:36 Geothermal Energy and Its Environmental Impact
35:26 The Fight Against Geothermal Projects
39:13 Nevada Lands Bills
46:23 Greenlink North: A Threat to Nevada's Sagebrush Country
49:27 Personal Reflections on Public Lands