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| Artist rendition of Copper World mine |
Tomorrow the House's Natural Resources Committee will be voting on H.R.1366 - Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. Earthworks is sending out a letter opposing the bill that several environmental organizations have signed onto including Sustainable Tucson.
Currently the 1872 Mining Law makes hard rock mining the most important use of public lands - allowing mining companies to use as much water as they want to mine (while poisoning our waterways with toxic tailings) and not paying royalties to the American people - who end up cleaning up the closed mines. Rep. Raul Grijalva fought for years to repeal this outdated law.
But instead of repealing this antiquated law, H.R.1366 will give even more control over our public lands to the mining industry. If passed, this bill’s provisions will have a devastating impact on frontline communities, cultural resources, and sensitive ecosystems.
Here is the main reason this bill is dangerous:
The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act amends the 1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act to address the Rosemont judicial decision. The Rosemont ruling held that public lands used for mining-support activities—such as waste storage, processing, and infrastructure—must contain economically valuable minerals. This ruling was a significant departure from the 150-year precedent set under the 1872 Mining Law. Overturning Rosemont will mean that mining operations will be able use a virtually limitless area of public lands for tailings, support structures, roads, pipelines, powerlines, etc. It would also free the Copper World mine from current litigation. This would impact the Sky Islands and our groundwater quality and quantity.
Please contact your representative today and urge them to vote "no." You can look them up using the link below. Be sure to include your zip code and that you are their constituent.
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Currently the 1872 Mining Law makes hard rock mining the most important use of public lands - allowing mining companies to use as much water as they want to mine (while poisoning our waterways with toxic tailings) and not paying royalties to the American people - who end up cleaning up the closed mines. Rep. Raul Grijalva fought for years to repeal this outdated law.
But instead of repealing this antiquated law, H.R.1366 will give even more control over our public lands to the mining industry. If passed, this bill’s provisions will have a devastating impact on frontline communities, cultural resources, and sensitive ecosystems.
Here is the main reason this bill is dangerous:
The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act amends the 1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act to address the Rosemont judicial decision. The Rosemont ruling held that public lands used for mining-support activities—such as waste storage, processing, and infrastructure—must contain economically valuable minerals. This ruling was a significant departure from the 150-year precedent set under the 1872 Mining Law. Overturning Rosemont will mean that mining operations will be able use a virtually limitless area of public lands for tailings, support structures, roads, pipelines, powerlines, etc. It would also free the Copper World mine from current litigation. This would impact the Sky Islands and our groundwater quality and quantity.
Please contact your representative today and urge them to vote "no." You can look them up using the link below. Be sure to include your zip code and that you are their constituent.
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
You can also use Earthwork's action alert to easily email your representative.
https://act.earthworks.org/page/89807/action/1?locale=en-US
https://act.earthworks.org/page/89807/action/1?locale=en-US
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