Poison Pill Talking points to save Oak Flat
We’ve just heard that Senator Kyl is playing hardball by putting holds on all kinds of bill to try to force through the Oak Flat land exchange. We’ve also heard that Senator McCain was rebuffed by Senator Levin when he attempted to add the Oak Flat land exchange to the Defense Authorization bill.
Call your Senators now and tell them that the Oak Flat land exchange is a poison pill that will sink any bill it is attached to.
2012 Wrap Up
Rosemont
The comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed Rosemont mine ended in January of 2012. The Arizona Mining Reform Coalition and its member groups were part of a larger effort that helped generate not only a massive (800 page plus) set of comments opposing the mine, but more than 100,000 comments from the public in opposition (although the Forest Service whittled that number down to 25,000 by discounting most comments that were submitted online). The DEIS was not only panned by the public, but the US EPA weighed in and called the DEIS one of the worse they’d ever seen.
Rio Tinto Threatens Layoffs unless Land Exchange Passes
December 5, 2012
On November 30, Rio Tinto announced that unless the US Congress passes the Oak Flat land exchange immediately, they will lay off 80% of their workforce at Oak Flat between now and March. In an orchestrated fashion, Senator McCain and Congressman Gosar both urged the Congress to pass the land exchange this year and an AZ Republic Op-ed decried Senate inaction.
Since Rio Tinto has made similar statement during every Congressional season since the land exchange has been introduced, organizations opposing the land exchange have blasted the announcement.
Contact your Senators to Stop the Oak Flat land exchange
We are at the tail end of the 112th Congress and have been able to keep the Oak Flat land exchange from moving in the US Senate. However, Senators Kyl and McCain are intent on pushing through the Oak Flat land exchange (HR 1904) this year to give more government handouts to two of the world’s largest mining companies.
Congress is back after the elections in a lame duck session that should wrap up by the end of the year. Kyl and McCain will most likely attempt to attach HR 1904 to important legislation instead of letting the Senate decide on the merits of the bill. Because of the controversial nature of the Oak Flat land exchange, this would amount to adding a poison pill to any necessary legislation.
Do not let Senators McCain and Kyl divert the Congress from important business by inserting their destructive special interest bill.