Rosemont Is Not Inevitable

This is a press release issued by the Coalition on June 7th, 2011.

Tucson, AZ – Recent press reports which would lead the public to consider the proposed Rosemont open-pit copper mine as being inevitable are misleading, according to the Empire-Fagan Coalition (EFC).

The Coalition, a grass roots conservation organization whose mission is to protect the Empire-Fagan Valley southeast of Tucson, has been warning of environmental and public safety issues should the Rosemont Copper mine ever see the light of day. According to Mike Carson, EFC President, a recently released U.S. Forest Service document confirms many of the Coalition’s warnings. Among other potential negative impacts, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement highlights:

[1] Disruption of water resources. Models show that the mining pit, a cone-shaped hole over a mile across and ½ mile deep would cause a drawdown of greater than 100 feet, affecting up to 350 wells in the area. 86 springs and seeps considered sacred by local indigenous populations would also be affected, and seepage from the leach pad and tailings would continue for over a century after the mine closed.

[2] Traffic and Public Safety. The proposed mine would increase traffic along Scenic Highway 83 up to 200% over current levels. Additional public safety concerns related to the storage, use and transportation of hazardous materials include an increased risk of wildfires and catastrophic releases of sulfuric acid.

[3] Air Quality. Under the proposed action, particulate matter would increase 2 to 3 times current levels. Sulfur dioxide and greenhouse emissions would also increase, and visibility in the Saguaro Park East airshed would be degraded.

Carson points out that these impacts are not offset by the promise of economic development and jobs, which the draft report characterizes as “a small increase”.

The most important thing, according to Carson, is that the public be aware that the proposed mine is in no way inevitable. “There is a perception that the project is inevitable, and that the Forest Service cannot refuse to permit such projects under current law. The Empire-Fagan Coalition disagrees with this interpretation of the Forest Service's prerogatives within the context of the Mining Act of 1872, and we would also point out that even given Forest Service approval, there are other regulatory bodies that must also permit the proposed project. For example, the project will be required to secure a section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Corps considers the public interest in their decision-making. As opposed to being hamstrung by some antiquated mining law, the Army Corps of Engineers will only permit the least environmentally damaging, practicable alternative.”