A previously dead copper mining project in southeastern Arizona is back up for the debate. The controversial measure was reintroduced in a congressional spending bill this week.
The federal land exchange was buried in a 1,600-page defense spending bill. The land swap for the mine has been controversial. Resolution Copper Mining is the company trying to acquire federal land through a land exchange near Superior, Ariz., which is 60 miles east of Phoenix and 30 miles northeast of Florence.
The Resolution Copper Mining Company wants to retrieve the mineral from deposits deep under land that is sacred to some tribes.
The bill says before the land can be exchanged there has to be an environmental evaluation.
Resolution Copper declined to comment and referred questions to Arizona's congressional delegation.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been modified to reflect there are two separate controversial copper mining projects in Arizona. The one in Florence, Ariz., is not addressed in the congressional spending bill. That company is in the stage of getting permits for a one year pilot test of the land. The Resolution Copper project is a separate copper mining project.
Updated 12/4/14 at 12:59 p.m.
