Mar 20, 2010 | Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining |
Yesterday Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick introduced the compromise language Senator McCain wrote last year on the Oak Flat land exchange. That language was substituted for the original language in S 409 and was voted out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last December. The new bill, HR 4880 has been referred to the House Natural Resources Committee. Representative Kirkpatrick has renamed the bill the ‘‘Copper Basin Jobs Act’’
Mar 20, 2010 | Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining, Press |
Recent Press on the Oak Flat Land Exchange
Mar 6, 2010 | Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining |
Devil’s Canyon is located in Pinal County Arizona approximately 6 km east of the town of Superior in the Globe Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest. The area is generally rugged with deep canyons and is defined by its complex rock formations. Portions of Devil’s Canyon have stretches of large and dense riparian growth that support a high diversity of breeding birds and other wildlife.
Feb 24, 2010 | Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining |
It’s bad enough for Congresswoman Kirkpatrick (D-1st District, Arizona) to be pushing for the destruction of Oak Flat Campground by two foreign mining companies, but now in an attempt to obfuscate the issue, the Congresswoman is trying to change the name of the project. Instead of identifying the issue as the Oak Flat land Exchange (or it’s “official” title as the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2009) (S 409 and HR 2509), she is now referring to this miscarriage of due process as the Copper Basin Jobs Project. Taking a page out of her predecessor Rick Renzi’s playbook, this is just another underhanded scheme to rip off our public lands. Please be aware of this attempt to fly under the radar. This certainly isn’t a jobs project, it’s a land exchange that will make us all poorer!
The new bill number for Kirkpatrick’s bill is HR 4880 and it is nearly identical to the Senate version (S 409) introduced by Senator McCain. Our fact sheets on the original version of S 409 and the new version that was passed by the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee.
Dec 19, 2009 | Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining |
2007 and 2009 biological inventories of Devil’s Canyon below State Highway 60. This area will likely be heavily impacted by the proposed Resolution Copper minenearby.
This stretch of Devil’s canyon has perennial water, lush riparian vegetation, and National Park-like scenery. Riparian species flourish along this stretch of canyon including Black and Zone-tailed Hawks and Peregrine Falcons.
Dec 16, 2009 | Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining |
Well folks, it’s official. The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee would rather give another handout to a foreign mining consortium worth $300 Billion than to protecting the religious freedom or the natural treasures of this country.
Today, by a voice vote and without debate The Committee passed S 409 as amended along with 31 other bills despite knowing that the compromise between Senator Bingaman and Senator McCain did not pass muster from taxpayers, Native Americans, climbers, or conservationists. To get the job done Senator Bingaman and Senator McCain resorted to backroom horse-trading and maneuvers instead of doing the people’s business in the light of day.
Please contact your Senators on the Committee and express your disappointment and stay tuned for ways you can help stop this government handout on the Senate floor and in the House.
There will be campaign corks popping in the corporate headquarters of Rio Tinto in London and BHP in Australia, but to put things in perspective, these mining giants have had an army of paid lobbyists and PR hacks working this legislation since 2004 and this is the first time they’ve gotten a bill out of committee. Who says the average Joe or Jane can’t make a difference?
Dec 16, 2009 | Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining |
The following statement was released by Congressman Grijalva today on human rights violations by Rio Tinto and the Oak Flat land exchange.
Grijalva Calls For Full Investigation of Rio Tinto Human Rights Record
Before Lucrative Mining Land Swap
Wednesday December 16, 2009
Washington, DC – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today questioned the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s decision to vote on the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2009 without investigating the poor human rights record – including alleged illegal payments to a foreign army – of the bill’s main beneficiary, mining conglomerate Rio Tinto.
The bill grants Resolution Copper, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton,a lucrative land swap in central Arizona that would give the company mining rights it values at approximately $140 billion over the mine’s projected life span. The company would receive the title to land previously removed from mining activities by President Eisenhower’s administration.
Nov 30, 2009 | Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining |
Bill Sponsors:
John McCain
(202) 224-2235
Fax (202)228-2862
http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
Jon Kyl
(202) 224-4521
Fax: (202) 224-2207
http://kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Nov 30, 2009 | Action Alert, Arizona Mining Oversight, Oak Flat Mining |
Tell the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to say No to S 409
Wednesday, June 17th, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will be holding a hearing on S. 409, a piece of special interest legislation that would mandate and land exchange that would solely benefit Rio Tinto and BHP-Billiton – two of the largest foreign mining companies in the world. The bill has been introduced by Arizona Senators McCain and Kyl.
The bill would short circuit the usual and customary process all mining companies go through to get mining permits in the US. Instead, the bill would allow the companies to get a free pass from these federal laws and to mine in the most destructive way possible, a copper ore body below Oak Flat Campground.
