Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar is scheduled to visit the Resolution Copper mine site near Superior, on August 21, at the request of John McCain, according to a story in the Arizona Republic. McCain is a co-sponsor of legislation to swap 2,400 acres of federal land needed by the mining company, for 5,500 acres of environmentally-desirable lands elsewhere. Sen. McCain has put a hold on some Obama nominees to force action on the bill.
So far, the Obama administration has not taken a position on the land exchange, but Democratic congresswomen Ann Kirkpatrick is sponsoring companion legislation in the House.