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Game & Fish Dept. joins mine opposition
Thelma Grimes/Vail Sun
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is the latest agency to join the growing opposition to the Rosemont Mine being proposed off State Route 83.
Besides all the elected officials in the city, county and state opposing the mine proposed by Augusta Resources, a Canadian company, Joan Scott, habitat program manager for the regional office, prepared a statement on behalf of the Game and Fish Department. The statement was sent to the U.S. Forest Service, which is currently conducting an environmental impact study for the project.
"We have reviewed the mine plan of operations," Scott said. "Our preliminary review indicates that despite any and all mitigation measures, this project will result in significant adverse impacts to wildlife, wildlife habitat and wildlife recreation. We believe that the project will render the northern portion of the Santa Rita Mountains virtually worthless as wildlife habitat and as a functioning ecosystem, and thus also worthless for wildlife recreation. Furthermore, the project has great potential to impact wildlife and habitat off the forest. We therefore do not support the development of the Rosemont Mine."
Gayle Hartman, president of the Save the Scenic Santa Ritas organization, said it's good that the Game and Fish Department has joined the fight to stop the mine from moving forward.
"They wrote an excellent and hard-hitting letter to the Forest Service," she said. "They made it clear that the northern portion of the Santa Rita Mountains will be devastated by the mining operation and they recommended that a no action alternative was the best approach to take. We heartily agree. And we think that the very large number of comments that the Forest Service has received covering a wide range of topics will provide them the ammunition they need to come to the conclusion that no action is the right alternative."
Scott also took issue with the mine's claim that the anticipated disruption to wildlife will be minimal and that the loss of hunting ground is not expected to have significant impact on hunting in the area.
"The department completely disagrees with both of these statements," Scott said. "The amount of land disturbance, traffic, noise, light and general mining activity will completely disrupt wildlife in the area."
Scott also questioned what the Forest Service's responsibility in the situation is, questioning a statement that the purpose of the proposed Forest Service action is to grant permission to the company to use forest land for certain activities related to mining operations.
"It seems that the appropriate purpose should be to evaluate whether to issue a permit to Rosemont Copper Company to mine mineral resources from forest lands," Scott said. "And whether to issue a permit to dump mining waste on forest lands, and whether to issue a permit to allow mining and other related rights of way across forest land to facilitate mining and adjacent patented mining claims, and further to determine the appropriate management practices and mitigation to protect forest and surrounding land resources if the permits are issued. The primary responsibility of the Forest Service, if the permits are issued, should be to protect forest resources and surrounding lands and waters. The Forest Service should identify how you intend to protect those resources."
Scott said in creating the environmental impact study due out in 2009, the Forest Service should take into account the demands that already exist on Arizona land, and how the human population and urban and rural developments are growing at a fast pace.
"The Forest Service should consider that the highest value of Arizona public land is for open space, public recreation and wildlife," she said. "Because the Arizona Game and Fish Department is charged with the management and protection of Arizona's wildlife habitat on public land."
Scott also took issue with Rosemont's water plan to drill wells in Sahuarita and use CAP replacement water. CAP is not going to be a long-term source and may run out before Rosemont reaches its 20-year limit, she said.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is the latest agency to join the growing opposition to the Rosemont Mine being proposed off State Route 83.
Besides all the elected officials in the city, county and state opposing the mine proposed by Augusta Resources, a Canadian company, Joan Scott, habitat program manager for the regional office, prepared a statement on behalf of the Game and Fish Department. The statement was sent to the U.S. Forest Service, which is currently conducting an environmental impact study for the project.
"We have reviewed the mine plan of operations," Scott said. "Our preliminary review indicates that despite any and all mitigation measures, this project will result in significant adverse impacts to wildlife, wildlife habitat and wildlife recreation. We believe that the project will render the northern portion of the Santa Rita Mountains virtually worthless as wildlife habitat and as a functioning ecosystem, and thus also worthless for wildlife recreation. Furthermore, the project has great potential to impact wildlife and habitat off the forest. We therefore do not support the development of the Rosemont Mine."
Gayle Hartman, president of the Save the Scenic Santa Ritas organization, said it's good that the Game and Fish Department has joined the fight to stop the mine from moving forward.
"They wrote an excellent and hard-hitting letter to the Forest Service," she said. "They made it clear that the northern portion of the Santa Rita Mountains will be devastated by the mining operation and they recommended that a no action alternative was the best approach to take. We heartily agree. And we think that the very large number of comments that the Forest Service has received covering a wide range of topics will provide them the ammunition they need to come to the conclusion that no action is the right alternative."
Scott also took issue with the mine's claim that the anticipated disruption to wildlife will be minimal and that the loss of hunting ground is not expected to have significant impact on hunting in the area.
"The department completely disagrees with both of these statements," Scott said. "The amount of land disturbance, traffic, noise, light and general mining activity will completely disrupt wildlife in the area."
Scott also questioned what the Forest Service's responsibility in the situation is, questioning a statement that the purpose of the proposed Forest Service action is to grant permission to the company to use forest land for certain activities related to mining operations.
"It seems that the appropriate purpose should be to evaluate whether to issue a permit to Rosemont Copper Company to mine mineral resources from forest lands," Scott said. "And whether to issue a permit to dump mining waste on forest lands, and whether to issue a permit to allow mining and other related rights of way across forest land to facilitate mining and adjacent patented mining claims, and further to determine the appropriate management practices and mitigation to protect forest and surrounding land resources if the permits are issued. The primary responsibility of the Forest Service, if the permits are issued, should be to protect forest resources and surrounding lands and waters. The Forest Service should identify how you intend to protect those resources."
Scott said in creating the environmental impact study due out in 2009, the Forest Service should take into account the demands that already exist on Arizona land, and how the human population and urban and rural developments are growing at a fast pace.
"The Forest Service should consider that the highest value of Arizona public land is for open space, public recreation and wildlife," she said. "Because the Arizona Game and Fish Department is charged with the management and protection of Arizona's wildlife habitat on public land."
Scott also took issue with Rosemont's water plan to drill wells in Sahuarita and use CAP replacement water. CAP is not going to be a long-term source and may run out before Rosemont reaches its 20-year limit, she said.
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