Gosar revives massive copper mine plan in Superior, Ariz

Rep. Paul Gosar introduced legislation Friday to revive a proposal for the development of North America's largest copper mine east of Superior - a project that could bring more than 1,200 jobs to the region. The bill would authorize a federal-land exchange in which Resolution Copper would get about 2,400 acres in the Oak Flat area of the Tonto National Forest in return for giving more than 5,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land throughout Arizona to the federal government. Similar legislation died in the last Congress, but the bill appears to have a much better chance of passage in the House now that Republicans are in control. Its prospects in the Senate are less certain. Gosar, a Republican freshman, serves on the House Natural Resources Committee, which must approve the bill before it can go before the full House for a vote. He said he has already spoken about the bill to committee Chairman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., and was confident his legislation would win the panel's approval. He also has talked to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and believes he will have Boehner's support once the committee has acted. "This jobs bill has been long awaited by the people of Arizona, and it is time we put this region of the country back to work," Gosar said. "Furthermore, utilizing this copper gives our nation a jump-start on emerging technologies such as wind and solar power, battery powered cars and other renewable, clean energy resources." Gosar worked with Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl as he drafted the legislation. The two Republican senators introduced a similar bill to approve the land exchange in the last Congress but have not done so this year.

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