By Brady McCombs
Arizona Daily Star
U.S. Rep. Ron Barber’s recent call for a new environmental impact statement on the proposed Rosemont Copper mine has angered the mine’s backers.
The Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce held a news conference Thursday afternoon to slam Barber for unnecessarily trying to delay the ongoing review of permits for the mine. The mine is proposed for an area southeast of Tucson in the Santa Rita Mountains outside Sonoita.
“Put your trust in the designated regulatory agencies and let them do their work,” Mike Varney, chamber president and CEO, said in a message to Barber. “Congressman Barber’s recent actions can only serve to delay or kill jobs in our community, and those are jobs we need very badly.”
In an Oct. 17 letter to the secretary of agriculture, Barber asks for the new environmental impact statement because of “significant” changes in Rosemont Copper’s operation plan. He points out concerns about increases in heavy truck traffic, more uncertainties about long-term water usage and the likelihood of leaching of stockpiled oxide ore. He asks for a 90-day period for public review.
