The US Forest Service held meetings this week with local, state, and federal agencies that are formal cooperators with them in evaluating the proposed Rosemont copper mine project in the Santa Rita mountains, south of Tucson.
AZGS is becoming a Cooperating Agency to provide geologic input and comments on the Environmental Impact Statement and process.
This morning we were briefed on the role of cooperators, the EIS and review process, then had presentations by Rosemont Copper on their plans.
We spent the afternoon at the mine site, seeing firsthand the size, scope, and locations of planned facilities, tailings piles, leach ponds, and the mile-wide pit. [right, mine manager Fermin Samorano, holding poster, points out locations for mine components]
The draft EIS is expected to be complete by this fall. Cooperating agencies are expected to have extensive input into the process beginning immediately, rather than simply reviewing the completed document.