Oak Flat land exchange legislation

The House of Representatives has scheduled a floor vote on HR 687 (the Oak Flat land exchange bill) for Thursday, September 19th. If you care about climbing at Oak Flat, or simply don't want to see a terrible precedent set for bypassing the proper procedures and policies that exist for permitting a new mine in the United States, please ask your Congressman to vote "NO" on HR 687 and ask all of your friends to do the same. Thank you in advance for your support.

This should probably be posted over on the Taco and RC.com as well.

BUMP

BUMP! Quick and easy way to find out your representative:

house.gov/representatives/f…

Call, e-mail, do something!

-Tony

Here's a more automatic option, thanks to Arizona Mining Reform Coalition:

org.salsalabs.com/o/676/p/d…

thanks for posting CCA -Red -Tony Yes this is URGENT!! This Vote could happen WEDNESDAY

I hope the Access Fund can dig out in time to stir up an ACTION alert we could use, I hope they are all OK.

please write/fax or call your representatives ASAP -no matter what State you live- if you'd like to help save this unique area from being an OPEN PIT MINE. Please Contact your representatives by TOMORROW Tuesday!!

this link posted from AZ Mining Reform Coalition is XLNT. Add personal comments prior to send >> unique climbing area lost forever good to add, etc. Many thanks to All!

------------------------Az Mining Reform Letter---------------------

Dear Representative,

The newest version of the Oak Flat land exchange has been introduced in the US Congress. The new bill number is HR 687. However, the bill is virtually identical to the failed HR 1904 in the last Congress.

This is the 12th version of the land exchange. The previous 11 versions of the land exchange have failed for a very good reason – the American people have spoken loudly that this piece of special interest legislation is not in the best interests of our Nation. I urge you to oppose HR 687 should it start to move. Further, I ask you to contact the original co-sponsors, Arizona Representative Gosar (R-4th) and Kirkpatrick (D-1st) and urge them to suspend any efforts to move the bill in this Congress.

HR 687 is special interest legislation that would trade away the Oak Flat Campground and surrounding federal lands to foreign mining companies. Oak Flat is sacred to Native Americans and is critical for cultural and recreational activities. HR 687 is only piece of legislation in Congress that would turn over a Native American sacred site on federal lands to foreign mining companies. HR 687 would mandate the loss of the largest amount of federal lands ever for recreational rock climbing resulting in financial ruin for small businesses based on the climbing industry. HR 687 would result in massive dewatering of the riparian area and the loss of habitat critical to rare and endangered plants and animals.

Because of these and many other reasons, the town of Superior has withdrawn their support for the Oak Flat land exchange. In Addition, the bill is opposed by a wide coalition of Native American Tribes, religious organizations, recreational organizations, and conservation groups.

Please help protect Oak Flat and the surrounding area by opposing any attempts to pass HR 687 this Congress.

Thank you,

Done, thank you thank you!

cat U rock!

~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~

BUMP

Please send a note here or call your representatives today !

The Access Fund also has an automated letter writing engine and has put out an Access Alert for the upcoming vote on HR 687.

Here is a direct link:

accessfund.org/c.tmL5KhNWLr…

Please use this and urge your Representative to vote "NO" on HR 687.

Thanks & props to all who have already taken action.
I've sent in my letters and forwarded the info to out-of-state fam & friends as well. This vote not only affects AZ but future special-interest legislation sought after in other states.

Letters sent.

Action today on H.R.687

12:44:09 P.M. H. Res. 351 Considered as privileged matter.

H. Res. 351 — "Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 687) to facilitate the efficient extraction of mineral resources in southeast Arizona by authorizing and directing an exchange of Federal and non-Federal land, and for other purposes;
-------

was there a vote taken?

Voting now on H. Res. 351...

"Considered as unfinished business. H. Res. 351 — "Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 687) to facilitate the efficient extraction of mineral resources in southeast Arizona by authorizing and directing an exchange of Federal and non-Federal land, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1526) to restore employment and educational opportunities in, and improve the economic stability of, counties containing National Forest System land, while also reducing Forest Service management costs, by ensuring that such counties have a dependable source of revenue from National Forest System land, to provide a temporary extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3102) to amend the Food and Nutrition Act 2008; and for other purposes."

Talk about a wolf in sheep's clothing... I half expect this statement to finish off claiming it will also curing all disease and poverty in AZ too.

So the first statement below sounds bad and the second good... any congressional interns here who can decipher?

3:56:01 P.M. H. Res. 351 On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (Roll no. 474).

3:56:02 P.M. H. Res. 351 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

"In the U.S. House of Representatives, following a vote, the Speaker typically announces that, "without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid on the table."[19] Although no motion to reconsider (or to table) have actually been made, the making of this statement (unless there is objection) precludes the making of a future motion for reconsideration and makes the vote final."

so yeah, 351 has passed the House, which I guess means HR 687 will then be considered?

The House floor vote on HR 687 has been postponed until Wednesday, September 25th, at the very earliest. We can only speculate as to the reasoning for the delay.

Concerned....

E-mail sent to Rep Brownley.

Please reciprocate, and request to join the SSCA, and help save the Needles. (See So. Cal forum)

We must all join together and stop Government corruption.

Thank you

BUMP! Vote is tomorrow (the 26th), there's still time to call or e-mail!

Tony

crazy eh Morgan?

thank you Andrew Hewitt for Rock&Ice article: "Arizona Climbing Area at Risk of Destruction"

still time today to send your objections:
- Access Fund against H.R.687
- AZ Mining Reform Coalition letter to Congress

In a rather surprising turn of events today, Republican House leadership abruptly cancelled votes both on HR 687 itself and an amendment offered to it by Congressman Luhan of New Mexico. This was immediately after voting down two other amendments to HR 687 that were proposed by Congressman Grijalva of Arizona and Congresswoman Napolitano of California, respectively.

The reason is that House leadership is unsure they currently have sufficient votes to pass HR 687. This is great news for climbers, environmentalists and Native Americans everywhere--and is a good indicator that momentum has recently shifted against the Oak Flat land exchange bill, which easily sailed through the House of Representatives last year.

Thank you everyone who took a moment and sent a letter to your Representative, asking them to vote "NO" on this bill. You definitely made a difference.

STOKED