July 18, 2016, is the deadline for scoping comments on Rio Tinto’s plan to destroy Oak Flat by building a dangerous mine.
Please send the Forest Service comments to help them understand why Rio Tinto’s proposal is untenable for so many reasons.
The comment deadline is July 18, 2016.
For the last day, the Forest Service is accepting scoping comments to help them prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement. This is a chance for you to tell the Forest Service why this proposal is so bad, and why it is so important to protect Oak Flat.
The Forest Service needs to look at environmental, cultural, social, economic, transportation, and many other issues.
Rio Tinto’s proposal includes:
- A mine that would destroy Oak Flat.
- A process plant that would severely impact the town of Superior without adding any direct tax benefits.
- A huge pile of toxic tailings on public land that would pollute the air and water and destroy recreational opportunities.
- A loading facility that would ship copper concentrate oversees for processing.
- A series of water wells would further exacerbate water scarcity near Phoenix.
All of this needs to be analyzed in the permitting process. All of these problems needs your comments.
Please visit our action page to express your views to the Forest Service.