PHOENIX, January 15, 2016 — For Immediate Release.
The Tonto National Forest has released the Draft Decision to authorize collection of baseline hydrological, geochemical and geotechnical data in an area where Resolution Copper has proposed a tailings storage facility. The baseline data will assist the Forest in analyzing Resolution’s General Plan of Operations during development of the Environmental Impact Statement, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. This Draft Decision authorizes the gathering of baseline data only, and does not approve the tailings storage facility.
The Tonto National Forest will develop a separate Environmental Impact Statement to analyze Resolution Copper’s proposed General Plan of Operations which includes the proposed tailings storage facility and development of an underground copper mine. The Environmental Impact Statement will also evaluate a legislated land exchange associated with the proposed mine There will be opportunities to provide comments regarding the land exchange and proposed mine during the Environmental Impact Statement process.
The activities addressed by this Draft Decision will affect approximately 75 acres of land, between Superior and Mesa, Arizona, and will include construction of temporary access roads and drilling/trenching sites; improvement of existing access roads; and installation of groundwater monitoring wells, geotechnical bore holes and trenches. All of these activities are outside the Oak Flat withdrawal area and will not impact camping and recreation activities near Oak Flat.
A copy of the Draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Resolution Copper Mining Baseline Hydrological and Geotechnical Data Gathering Activities is available online. Paper and electronic copies (CDs) of these documents are available for review at the Globe and Superior public libraries, Queen Valley Fire District Office, and Mesa, Globe and Phoenix Tonto National Forest offices.
The proposed decision is subject to the pre-decisional objection process described in 36 CFR Part 218, Subparts A and B. Objections must be filed within 45 days of the publication of the legal notice announcing the Draft Decision in the Arizona Capitol Times. Those that previously commented on the project have the opportunity to submit an objection based on their previous comment. A decision will not be made until the objection process is complete.