In a statement released Thursday, Gosar called the passage “a great day for Arizona.” He continued, “Copper is once again king in Arizona, and our military and our manufacturing base will be assured of critical domestic copper supplies. I am extremely pleased that the House once again passed my Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act. Attaching to the must pass Defense Authorization makes a lot of sense as my bill will lead to new critical mineral production and paves the way for mining one of the largest copper deposits ever discovered in North America, producing enough copper to meet nearly 25% of U.S. demand. It was a true pleasure working closely with Senator McCain who is spearheading this effort in the Senate.
Gosar claims that the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act “will create nearly 4,000 new jobs and bring in more than $60 billion over its lifetime to the economically-depressed Town of Superior, Arizona and the surrounding region. This victory comes after years of tireless work by both the House and Senate.
“It is important to note that addressing environmental and tribal concerns played a critical role in the final approval of this legislation,” noted Gosar. “For those reasons, the exchange was modified from the original bill so that the transfer of the Oak Flat property will not occur until after an environmental study is performed on the mine and other activities related to the land exchange. This concession was included at the request of Native Tribes. Additionally, the original bill has been modified to allow tribes to access the Oak Flat campground for years to come until the area is deemed unsafe. It also designates 807 acres of the Apache Leap Cliffs as a ‘special management area,’ which places it under Forest Service protection and ensures the cliffs will not be damaged by the mine.
“Building a stronger environment for job creation and economic growth in Arizona was one of the primary reasons I ran for Congress. It is the fundamental cure to combating a sluggish economy and brings real prosperity to the people of Arizona. This legislation was one of the first bills I sponsored as a member of Congress and I consider it to be a monumental accomplishment that it is on its way to passage through the Senate and hopefully being signed into law in a timely manner,” concluded Gosar.
The Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act was supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Supply Association, the American Clean Energy Resources Trust, the Associated General Contractors of America, the Northwest Mining Association, the National Mining Association, and the National Association of Manufacturers.