Giffords, Grijalva move to stymie Rosemont Mine

The U.S. Forest Service says it cannot stop development of the proposed Rosemont Copper mine in the Santa Rita Mountains, but Southern Arizona’s two representatives in Congress have asked the Secretary of Agriculture to overrule the agency’s interpretation of the law. U.S. Reps. Gabrielle Giffords and Raul Grijalva, both Democrats, have sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asking him to “direct the Forest Service to remain open to the possibility that their analysis will result in a ‘no action’ recommendation.” Under federal environmental law, a “no action” finding would block development of the mine. Coronado National Forest posted a document on its website saying the agency could not legally prevent the Rosemont Mine from using forest land for copper mining operations. Three days earlier, the Pima County Board approved an agreement with the Forest Service to participate in the deliberations on the proposed mine about 40 miles southeast of Tucson. In that agreement, the county said it disagrees with the Forest Service’s assertion that it can’t block the development of the mine...AzBiz