**QUEEN CREEK CLIMBING - OAK FLAT** Last Chance to save it
|
Today is the LAST MEETING as formally announced by the Forest Service for part of the scoping process required by NEPA - EIS study for Queen Creek/Oak Flat area. This 'open house' will be from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a presentation at 5:30 followed by a brief question and answer period.
Southwest Regional Library, 775 North Greenfield Road, Gilbert, AZ resolutionmineeis.us/scopin… There are also several other helpful & informative links on bottom of this page such as: Scoping Handout and Overview - Scoping Letter - A Citizen's Guide to NEPA: Having Your Voice Heard You can also sign up to keep informed via mail-list link on left side of page. If you miss the meetings and still want to be a part of this process PLEASE address your letters and concerns in a formal manner to the Forest Service (F.S.) details for submission are here: resolutionmineeis.us/comments *Please note, valid arguments will go farther than: "I love QC" (unfortunately this is not recognized as a valid argument by F.S.) As of April 4, 2016 the Tonto Forest Supervisor has extended the Public Scoping Period for an additional 60 days. The last day to submit comments will be July 18, 2016. --- Invalid image id: 111757121 --- *personal note~ I have not posted here since Dec. 2014 when our beloved climbing area was hidden in the NDAA Bill and passed (*sniff*) Since then REI has partnered with MP.com & I do not agree with new "privacy policy". To protect rights grandfathered of prior submissions, I have chosen to post as kirra2 for this URGENT MATTER for QUEEN CREEK. I wish MP.com continued success in all endeavors. |
|
Save Oak Flat!! |
|
Some of the takeaways I jotted down from last night's meeting in Gilbert...
Regarding public comments during the NEPA process, one subtle comment was mentioned:
These were just a few of many comments mentioned. The NFS said they would be uploading slides from these scoping meetings and a list of initial comments brought up by the public. PLEASE submit comments! resolutionmineeis.us/comments PLEASE write your Congress reps, especially people out of state whose representatives / senators will ultimately be voting for or against the "Save Oak Flat" bills! If I missed anything or misspoke, please correct as necessary. Thanks, Ben |
|
Ben Watson wrote:NFS cannot stop the transfer of the Oak Flat parcel from happening - it is now law, signed by our Congress and our President. * NFS can guide the mining plan of operation through mitigation of concerns, by identifying alternatives.Hi Ben- It's great you were able to attend meeting last night and your comments are helpful especially pointing to links of legislation in House & Senate to reverse this mistaken give-away. (btw your link as posted for FS comments = the one I posted) Forever the optimist, I'd like to discuss the items you mentioned above and reference an article recently written with comments from Curt Shannon and Sandy Bahr from the Sierra Club: Environmental Study of Planned Copper Mine at Arizona's Oak Flat Could Halt Project "Usually, the EIS process would allow the government to evaluate a project like this, then reject it based on the findings if the impact is too severe. But under the 2014 land-swap law, Rio Tinto gets title to land two months after the EIS is complete, whatever the EIS finds." "Since this area is now on the National Register of Historic Places, the EIS will also study how, or if, mining activity would damage the place's historical significance." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The mine may own Oak Flat, but may not be allowed to proceed to the scale as proposed. Perhaps Forest Service can say, we can't stop you from mining but if your tailings site is not acceptable, you'll need to come up with a different plan. The only plan available may seem unfeasible for the mine to operate and then oh well...climb on! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
Ben Watson wrote:"Save Oak Flat Act" bills in both houses of Congress: House H.R.2811 , Senate S. 2242a note on Save Oak Flat bills... Success may depend upon the upcoming elections and Bernie Sanders introduced the Senate Bill -go Bernie! (: |
|
From Az Mining Reform (thanks Roger) - Oak Flat Preliminary Scoping Talking Points |