November 20, 2009 Forest Service Announces Plan for Rosemont Draft Environmental Impact Statement

NEWS RELEASE
USDA Forest Service
Coronado National Forest
300 West Congress
Tucson, AZ 85701
www.RosemontEIS.us

Effective Immediately                                                                    CONTACT: Heidi Schewel (520) 388-8300 

U.S. FOREST SERVICE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR ROSEMONT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT 

TUCSON, AZ  (November 20, 2009) – A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Rosemont project will be completed during the first quarter of 2010 and will be available for public comment in April 2010, officials from the U.S. Forest Service announced today. 

“The Coronado National Forest Interdisciplinary Team, supported by independent third-party contractor SWCA Environmental Consultants, has been studying the impacts of the Rosemont Plan of Operations as well as a wide range of possible alternatives. This analysis process has been shared on a monthly basis with the cooperating agencies assisting the Forest Service to prepare the DEIS,” said Mindee Roth, EIS Coordinator for the Forest Service.  “All interested parties will have an opportunity to review the DEIS and provide comment before any final determinations are made.” 

The Forest Service will consider a number of alternatives in the DEIS. Those include the original Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) submitted in 2007 by Rosemont Copper, options for potential placement of tailings and waste rock, potential partial backfilling of the pit, and an option that will be developed to incorporate input from cooperating agencies, as well as the no-action alternative (no federal approval of the MPO or alternatives). The no-action alternative is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

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