Rep. Gosar Blasts Misguided Effort to Undermine $60 Billion Copper Mine

Statement

Today, Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after joining with Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ) for a third time in sending a letter to the Director of the National Park Service and the Keeper of National Register of Historic Places requesting the Park Service formally withdraw the nomination of land in Pinal County, Arizona known as "Oak Flat" from consideration for listing in the National Register of Historic Places:

"Despite repeated bipartisan demands for transparency and adequate public notice, there still appears to be a deceptive effort underway by anti-mining opponents and the Park Service to block the bipartisan Southeast Arizona Land Exchange that was signed into law in December of 2014. Dale Miles, a member of the San Carlos Tribe and the former tribal historian, stated in an op-ed featured in the Arizona Republic that Oak Flat has never been a sacred site. As the formal tribal historian, he can say with absolute certainty that this small, poorly-maintained campground has never been a historic place and shouldn't be listed as one.

"Designating the land acquired by a private company through a bipartisan land exchange as a historic place could limit public access and undermine a copper mining project that is projected to create nearly 3,700 jobs and generate $60 billion for Arizona's economy. Even worse, the complete lack of detail and lack of notice at every stage of these filings has made it impossible for Arizonans who may be affected to participate in the public comment process. Waiting more than three weeks to provide public notice and only allowing five days for public comment following that publication isn't going to cut it. We will continue to fight this misguided listing effort at each and every turn."

Source