Green agendas clash in Nevada as company grows rare plant to help it survive effects of a mine

Associated Press

GARDNERVILLE, Nev. (AP) — A grand experiment is underway in Nevada where an endangered desert wildflower stands in the way of a mining company’s plans to dig for lithium to help speed production of batteries for electric cars and other green energy projects. Australia-based Ioneer says the mine it wants to dig in the Nevada desert would more than quadruple U.S. production of lithium needed to speed production of electric vehicles and build the batteries needed for other clean electricity projects. Conservationists proclaim their support for world leaders who are trying to tackle climate change by curbing global emissions. But they’re fiercely fighting the mine because it would dig deep into the world’s only known patch of land where the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat grows.