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Concerns locals have with the proposed land exchange.
Local residents of the Copper Basin area attended the Ray Land Exchange/Plan Amendment public hearing, hosted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) last week. Those in attendance had the opportunity to talk one on one with BLM representatives on the land exchange and express their concerns and support of the exchange. The BLM has opened a 90-day comment period that will allow the public to officially comment on the exchange, the comment period will end on Feb. 16, 2018.
Comments can be submitted online via email at blm_az_raylandexchange@blm.gov or you may send written comments to BLM Arizona State Office ATTN: Ray Land Exchange, 1 North Central Ave. Suite 800 Phoenix, Arizona 85004-4427. All comments must be received by February 16, 2018.
The public hearing was held as part of the public participation and comment period following the release of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Many local residents requested more information on recreational access to the White Wilderness area and other recreation sites near the exchange locations. The Town of Kearny, in their support letter asked for ASARCO, the Town of Kearny and the BLM to work on road improvements to ensure access to these important recreation sites.
Local residents talk with representatives from BLM on the proposed land exchange.
The land exchange is currently going through the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) review. The NEPA process allows the BLM to evaluate the affect of the following: Biological Resources, Water Resources, Air Quality, Mineral Resources, Land Use, Access and Recreation, Wilderness Resources/Special Management Areas, Cultural Resource and Socioeconomic Conditions.
ASARCO is offering 7,304 acres of private land for 10,976 acres of BLM-administered public lands. These public lands are near or adjacent to existing mining operations at the Ray Mine Complex near Kearny. The 7,304 acres of private lands include lands in Pinal and Mohave counties. If the land exchange is approved the private lands will be added into BLM Managed public lands. The lands in Pinal County include, the Gila River at Cochran Parcel, which is 320 acres and contains a segment of the Gila River Riparian Management Area. The majority of the lands in the exchange are located in Mohave County. Those parcels include the Knisely Ranch Parcels (160 acres) , Sacramento Valley Park (120 acres), Tomlin Parcel (320 acres) and McCracken Mountain Parcels (6,384 acres).
Some elected leaders in Mohave County have expressed concern that the exchange adds more public lands to their county which will not be able to be developed for commercial purposes. Both the Kearny and Hayden Town councils have approved letters of support along with the Copper Corridor Economic Development Coalition and the Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation.
The 10,976 acres that ASARCO would receive from the exchange will include 8,196 acres that would include a surface and mineral estate, 2,780 acres are listed as mineral estate only. These lands will be referred to as “Selected Public Lands” according the BLM and they are listed as desirable to ASARCO because they are adjacent to or near ASARCO’s current mining operations and they currently hold valid mining claims on these “Selected Public Lands.” ASARCO is expected to conduct mining operations on these lands.
The public hearing in Kearny was the first in a series of meetings. Public hearings were held in Tucson, Gilbert and Kingman, Arizona. To learn more about the exchange or to download a digital copy of the EIS visit the BLM online at: http://go.usa.gov/xn2FG
Mila Besich is a resident of Superior with two children. She volunteers for many local organizations. She is an experienced fundraiser and event planner for Copper Corridor Economic Development Coalition. She covers some of the area town councils and schools.
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