SUPERIOR — After taking more than a year to reach its decision, the Tonto National Forest on Friday, May 21 gave its approval to Resolution Copper Company for additional copper mining exploration east of Superior in the Oak Flat area. What the federal agency issued was its “Finding of No Significant Impact” on the company’s pre-feasibility proposal for exploration studies in this area.

In the early part of  2009, the Superior-based copper company filed its required “Plan of Operations for Pre-Feasibility Activities” with the Tonto National Forest Headquarters in Phoenix. The proposal outlined increased mineral exploration site work at Oak Flat which called for 22 new drill sites along with the continuation of previously authorized exploratory work and monitoring activities on U.S. Forest Service lands.

The Tonto National Forest Service headquarters said last week in announcing its “Decision Notice:” The decision allows for implementation of the activities as proposed in the Resolution Copper Mining’s Pre-Feasibility Activities Plan of Operations, with modifications to one drill site location,  construction of one new access route, and incorporation of mitigation measures.  These activities  would occur within the western portion of the Pinal Mountains, near Superior, Ariz., on the Globe Ranger District.  

The Pre-feasibility Plan of Operations activities are the following: construction of exploration drill sites and directional drilling on those sites, drill sites to accommodate deep and shallow groundwater testing and monitoring wells, and drill sites to accommodate geotechnical  characterization boreholes; continuing exploratory and monitoring activities at previously authorized drill sites; completing roadway improvements on existing roads; construction of 0.33 mile of new roads; road maintenance for access to previously authorized drill sites and new drill sites; utilization  of an existing well on State Trust land; construction of West Access Route 4b and two drill sites associated with that route; and incorporation of all mitigation measures developed in the EA. 

The overall area of construction activity totals approximately 83 acres; within that 83 acres, new construction disturbance would occur on a total of 46.78 acres of which 37.63 acres are National Forest Lands, 6.49 acres on State Trust land, and 2.66 acres on private lands.

The Finding of No Significant Impact in the Environmental Assessment Decision  is a blow to anti copper mining San Carlos Tribal chairman Wendsler Nosie who has been the main opponent to the new $4 billion copper mine.  He has been campaigning for the past several years during trips to Washington,D.C.,in his meetings with leaders of other Native American tribes and in his lengthy newspaper articles against the new  7,000 foot deep underground mine and the proposed land exchange needed for its development .

Several private surveys conducted on the San Carlos Reservation show the majority of the San Carlos Apaches support the new mine and don’t agree with their tribal leaders on this issue. Nosie has also been involved in the protest of ADEQ permits sought by other mining operations in our part of the state which are necessary for copper production.

In April of last year Chairman Nosie was among 21 parties filing public comments with the Tonto National Forest about  Resolution’s exploration activities plan.  The San Carlos Tribal Chairman was protesting any exploration work at all at Oak Flat by Resolution Copper. In a statement which he co-authored , he said in part,   “ Apaches have traditionally opposed large-scale mining to this day.....Mining is inconsistent with our conservative Apache values”

“When our ancestors saw disrespectful miners raping Nigosdzan  (Apache word for “Earth is Woman” ), they responded harshly in a proper traditional manner.  They viewed many of the earlier White settlers, especially miners, as filthy savages who destroyed the natural world where ever they went through mining, overgrazing, over-hunting or by dirtying the land with their garbage and indiscriminate human waste.  Our ancestors found these activities shocking and dangerous,”  wrote the Apache tribal leader.

Gene Blankenbaker, Supervisor of the Tonto National Forest said the Environmental Assessment report is available for any one interested at the Tonto National Forest Service’s Office in Phoenix and at the Globe Ranger District Office.  He said reading copies are also available at libraries in Globe-Miami, San Carlos, Superior, Kearny, Florence, Apache Junction and Mesa.

Blankenbaker notes  the decision by the Forest Service is subject to appeal by any of the 21 persons or organizations who expressed their comments during last year’s public comment period. Any appeals by these parties must be in writing following the date of the official notice.