The Rosemont Copper Mine won unanimous approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission, for a power line for its proposed mine. The approved compromise agreement carries restrictions that will delay construction of the 13-mile line into the Santa Rita Mountains until the mining company can obtain five other government permits, approvals, certifications and a land transfer.
“Since no one can say exactly when the other approvals will be granted, it’s impossible to say right now when the power line would be built or even if it ever will,” according to a statement released by the mining company. “That’s four more additional government approvals than were originally required for this power line last December by the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Sitting committee.”
The commission’s vote for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility came after six months debate. According to Rosemont, the vote followed nearly two hours of closed-door negotiations Wednesday among Rosemont Copper and Tucson Electric Power Co. officials and attorneys, intervenors and other representatives of mine and power line opponents.
“We were very pleased that the commission put all these disparate interests together so they could support a 5-0 vote,” said Kathy Arnold, Rosemont Copper’s vice president for environmental and regulatory affairs. “It will give finality to the process so we won’t get back here. Any kind of finality is good.”
Rosemont’s statement says that “The deal gave Larry Robertson, an attorney for a mine opposition coalition, some of what he wanted. The environmental coalition, including the group Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, had wanted the commission to consider evidence about the overall impacts of the Rosemont Mine in its consideration of the power line. But the commission’s vote in March to consider such impacts triggered a huge outcry from business leaders and four Republican legislators from Tucson who said it would unduly delay the power line and set a bad precedent for future lines.”
Elizabeth Webb, opponent to the power line construction, expressed ambivalence about the decision, “I clearly believe that it’s a bad” outcome, “but I thought it was the best I could get under the circumstances.”