PIMA — The Pima Town Council agrees that some concerns need to be addressed before land is traded between the Bureau of Land Management and Freeport-McMoRan.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the Town Council unanimously directed the Town Manager to submit comments to the BLM on the proposed land swap that would allow Freeport to double the size of the Safford Mining Operation.
Town Manager Vernon Batty said the development of the Safford Mining Operation has been a boon to the Gila Valley, but it’s also put pressure on the communities in the form of needed improvements to infrastructure as well as public safety demands. And revenues are not keeping pace with those needs, especially in Pima.
“So we would hope, at this time, we can ask BLM to have the mine be responsible for studying those effects, and working with us to come up with solutions to the effects,” Batty said.
Graham County Supervisor John Howard was at the Pima Town Council meeting to update the council on the actions taken by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning on the proposed land trade.
He said the county’s position focused on the revenue reduction that the county expects to see if the trade is authorized, as well as impacts to roads, recreation, and water and air quality.
“We are supportive of this land swap, but we want Freeport to come to the table and help us out. All the entities, not just the county, because this affects every single one of us,” Howard said.
The proposed land swap includes the acquisition of five non-federal parcels in Greenlee and Cochise counties, consisting of approximately 5,700 acres by the United States in exchange for federal parcels in Graham and Greenlee counties adjoining the Safford Mining Operation, consisting of approximately 24,600 acres, to Freeport, with about 21,000 acres in Graham.
BLM is accepting public comments on the proposed trade through Sept. 14.
Comments may be sent to 711 S. 14th Ave. Safford AZ 85546, or by e-mail at BLM_AZ_SFO_LandExchange@blm.gov.
More information, including a map, can be found online at the National NEPA Register.
