The Nevada Division of Water Resources recently sent a cease and desist order to Lithium Nevada to have it stop pumping water from a contested well it has lost the right to use, as part of decisions related to its massive Thacker Pass lithium extraction project.
The state entity which manages public waters in the Silver State indicated the company still used the well in the Spring even after being notified their water permits were invalid.
The June 20th letter concludes it has fourteen days from that date to comply, which is on that deadline now.
“We are excited to be moving forward with construction on the Thacker Pass lithium project to deliver a U.S.-produced lithium supply chain that reduces American dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals,” Lithium Americas CEO Jonathan Evans said in a statement released to media.
Environmental groups and Nevada tribes have opposed the project, expected to run at full capacity within the next few years, saying it’s on sacred ground, while also posing a grave threat to the local ecosystem in the high desert of north central Nevada, a three hour drive from Reno.
Cattle ranchers in that area who have rights to the contested water well also now oppose their project.