Judge supports ADEQ decision after thorough review of Rosemont Copper groundwater permit
by Hot Off The Press (Release) on Jun. 17, 2013, under Press ReleasesTUCSON, AZ (June 15, 2013) — Judge Thomas Shedden (http://www.azoah.com/Shedden.html) with the Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings ruled Friday in favor of Rosemont Copper after nine days of hearings held in 2012. The hearing was to consider an appeal of Rosemont’s Aquifer Protection Permit issued by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).
“We are gratified the judge made a thoughtful and detailed decision regarding the appeal and upholding ADEQ’s permit,” said Kathy Arnold, Vice President of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs. “During the hearing, the appellants were given every opportunity to back up their assertions with evidence, but failed to do so. Now, in their statement, the appellants appear to have totally ignored the evidence and the extremely detailed findings by Judge Shedden. The bottom line is that Rosemont’s permit is amply supported by scientific studies and data, and meets all legal requirements.”
Judge Shedden’s decision (https://portal.azoah.com/aljdec/documents/WQB/12-002-WQAB-ALJDecision-0001.pdf) contained 506 findings of fact and 33 conclusions of law. According to the ruling, the judge rejected all of the issues appellants raised due to their failure to provide credible evidence supporting their assertions. Instead, the record showed ADEQ conducted a thorough review of Rosemont’s application and supporting studies and data, the Judge concluded.
“At every step of the permitting process, opposition groups have appealed rulings and filed lawsuits,” said Jamie Sturgess, Augusta Resource Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Government Affairs. “To date, none have been successful because the federal and state agencies are conducting thorough and detailed analyses through transparent and open public processes.”
Rosemont anticipates a positive hearing with the Water Quality Appeals Board affirming the ruling within the next 30 days. Sturgess added that the company’s development plan and permitting processes continue to be thorough, compliant with laws and highly defensible.
“We look forward to moving past the permitting phase and starting construction on this 21st Century project that will bring thousand of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue to southern Arizona, while using the latest technology to minimize impacts to the environment,” said Rod Pace, Rosemont Copper President & CEO. “Rosemont has received all but one of its permits required for operation and expects to receive final approvals and permit decisions by the third quarter of 2013. When in operation, Rosemont will bring more than $700 million annually in economic impact to southern Arizona and support 2,100 direct and indirect jobs in the region.”
ABOUT ROSEMONT COPPER COMPANY
The Rosemont Copper project is located in Pima County, approximately 30 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona, and contains a world-class open-pit copper/molybdenum/silver deposit. Located in an existing mining district, Rosemont Copper will set a high standard for sustainable mining practices, including using solar power, consuming less than half the water as traditional mines, and reclaiming the site from the start of operations as permanent open space. Arizona, the copper state, produces 65 percent of the United States’ supply of copper on only a quarter of one percent of the state’s land. Rosemont Copper is expected to provide more than 10 percent of the U.S. copper supply while requiring less than half the land area of other Pima County mines. A recent study by Arizona State University showed the region would benefit over the life of the mine, adding 406 direct and 1700 indirect jobs, $3 billion in increased personal income, $404 million in local taxes and $15 billion in local economic revenue. For more information, visit the Rosemont Copper website at www.rosemontcopper.com.
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