The Arizona Senate Natural Resources and Rural Affairs Committee last week approved a bill (S1438) to extend the list of acceptable materials to fill old mine shafts to include used rubber tires. The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration. State Mine Inspector Joe Hart has been pushing this concept since he took office last year.
A second bill that would transfer about $1.5 million from the Arizona Commission on the Arts to the Mine Safety Fund to be used to close old mines, did not get approval.
[left: historic mines in AZ; State Mine Inspector]