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Creative FRONTLINE, a cinema verite documentary radio series, airing primetime/drivetime on KPFK, Los Angeles is a 70 episode collection of pieces featuring “Water in the West.”

Water in the West **Special**

From: Robert Lundahl
Series: Creative FRONTLINE
Length: 57:06

Special Program Launch features 1 hour on Lithium Mining, and Introduces how Hemp Bast may be Transformed into Graphene-Like Carbon Nanosheet Supercapacitors as an Alternative to Destructive Lithium Energy systems.

All Episodes are available here on PRX.

The Series began as a podcast on Apple Podcasts titled “Climate Change is Here,” also on PRX, Public Radio Exchange.

The Oro Cruz gold mining project, located in Imperial County, California, faced significant opposition from the Quechan Tribe and environmental groups, leading to its eventual halt. The project, proposed by Southern Empire Resources, involved exploration activities like drilling and road construction in an area considered sacred and containing important cultural resources. The Quechan Tribe appealed the project's approval by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors and the Bureau of Land Management, citing concerns about environmental damage and cultural desecration.Ultimately, the Board of Supervisors voted to accept the appeal, halting the project. 

Savimbo:

“We’re a social enterprise, created by, and for, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to access climate markets directly.

We stop deforestation, by paying the right people, then sell 6 climate products.”

Lithium in America tells the not unfamiliar story of industry and government pushing forward huge energy projects with market driven exuberance despite local opposition and failure to consult with tribes.

The film shines a light on these questionable practices as we interview leaders and members from 5 tribes with respect to 4 major projects in 3 states that are bellweathers of policy today, and which represent a common mindset and set of practices, however misguided.

According to Popular Mechanics Magazine,

"This high concentration is found primarily at Thacker Pass in Nevada, and is already a controversial mining location. The area, also known as Peehee Mu'huh, is the homeland of many indigenous tribes and played an important role in its historical clash with U.S. soldiers. An indigenous organization dedicated to protecting the site even called potential mining operations a form of “green colonialism,” and is also engaged in stopping a mining site on the Oregon side of the caldera as well.

Apart from its cultural impact, any mining project in the area could also affect groundwater levels for local farmers and ranchers, not to mention its disruption to local fauna, such as pronghorn antelope, golden eagles, and sage grouse.

Right now, the McDermitt Caldera is a 40 million metric ton lithium conundrum with no clear answer."

We are honored to have recently interviewed Dorece Sam (Ft. McDermitt Pai-Sho Tribe), her aunt, Elder, Josephine Dick, and son, who goes by the name "Young Warrior." All are descendants of Ox Sam, who escaped the massacre of 1865, on horseback, as his people and family perished in an attack by the First Nevada Cavalry.

A similar battle wages today, for many of the same reasons. Indigenous group seeks response from General Motors regarding human rights issues at Thacker Pass.

Ox Sam Camp is an Indigenous grassroots organization that was formed to protect the sacred site, Peehee Muhu – Ox Sam Camp has raised significant and urgent concerns regarding human, religious, and Indigenous Peoples rights violations by the proposed mine.

Luis Olmedo

Lithium Valley, Drilling to a Fault.

Executive Director of Comite Civico del Valle, Inc., Luis is a community advocate who advises on local, regional, and state environmental health programs and is a member of various state and national networks that focus on environmental policy, civic leadership, and environmental justice. Luis Olmedo has served as Executive Director for nearly two decades where he has led a team of local visionaries in development of evidence-based health interventions, sensor measurement engineering, programming, and crowdsourcing, designing new government frameworks and service programs, and crafting new multi-media collaborative models all with a goal of leveling the playing field for disadvantaged communities.

Luis Olmedo values the power that comes from collaboration and is evident in his partnership with diverse expertise including academia, government, community-based organizations, business, youth, healthcare, and community.

Californias desert regions have a long history of get rich quick schemes, development disasters and ceaseless promotional efforts. Poorly laid plans are often not founded on solid ground. Once, the impermanent Salton Sea was touted as Americas latest and best vacation and lifestyle paradise. Today, lithium production captures the imagination of hungry investors. There’s no question intentions are good, But what about the downside?

Professors, storytellers, historians, 1960's promotional films, environmental justice advocates, and Native American leaders tell the story of the Salton Sea, its potential for Lithium extraction and the risks

Will Lithium Extraction Create Earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault?

California's desert regions have a long history of get rich quick schemes, development disasters, and ceaseless promotional efforts.

Blowout: The History of Earth Day

The story of the beginnings of the Environmental Movement in the United States.

Cascade PBS Seattle recently contacted me about providing excerpts from our Creative FRONTLINE episode, “Celilo Falls and the Culture of Death” with Lana Jack (Celilo Wy-am) to their “Mossback” series and related podcast, titled "A People's History of the Columbia River."

First of all, it’s very well produced and very well researched. They took care to provide a good and much appreciated credit at the end for our team and the Creative FRONTLINE series on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles / 98.7 FM Santa Barbara, Los Angeles. In that credit, they refer to me as “Filmmaker, Robert Lundahl," an honor in and of itself. The reason I say that is my first film, “Unconquering the Last Frontier” is similarly about a river, the Elwha and it's people, the Klallam.

The two stories intertwine in their discussions of colonial expansion, disease, conflicts over resources and inherent values, and offer accountings as to how indigenous rights were ignored in the years of the shadow following, of mainstream US concerns including the depression, World War II, industrial growth and development to the point where we non-natives and natives alike are only now in the current generation, totaling up the damages. And they are severe.

I can say more but to point out the basics leads us all to have a listen to the Cascade PBS telling of the story, as they had access to it.