Thursday afternoon, social media feeds and press releases from Resolution Copper and opposition groups to the project reported that the United States Forest Service announced that the government is providing the public a 60-day notice that the Resolution Copper Final Environmental Impact Statement would be re-released within the next 60 days.
The FEIS was in this same permitting position in March of 2021, with just less than 10 days before the final 45-day comment period would end. The Biden administration cited that more tribal consultation was needed; but supporters of the mine continued to advocate at the federal level for the re-release of the FEIS. The project’s permit has been awaiting re-release since that March. The environmental permitting process for the Resolution Copper project has been said to be one of the largest and most complex federal environmental permitting processes.
“We are encouraged to hear the U.S. Forest Service intends to republish the Final Environmental Impact Statement which is a positive step forward for the Resolution Copper project after more than a decade of rigorous, independent review and consultation with local communities and Native American Tribes,” said Vicky Peacey, General Manager at Resolution Copper. “This world-class mining project has the potential to become one of the largest copper mines in America, adding up to $1 billion a year to Arizona’s economy and creating thousands of local jobs in a region of rural Arizona where mining has played an important role for more than a century.”
The recent announcement by the Forest Service, comes after the Trump administration has been advocating for more American critical mineral mining and production. Thursday’s announcement gives notice to the public that the FEIS will be re-released within the next 60 days. Once the FEIS is re-released, there will be an automatic 45-day comment period, and then the Record of Decision (ROD) can be signed by the Forest Service, and the land exchange for the Resolution Copper project will be complete. Once the Record of Decision is signed, this will start the full construction phase of the mine, which is expected to take at least a decade to build.
Currently, there is a religious freedoms case against the Tonto National Forest by the Apache Stronghold organization, who has long been opposing the Resolution Copper. Their primary opposition has been based on freedom of religion, citing that Oak Flat known as Chi’chil Biłdagoteel in Apache, is sacred religious ceremonial grounds. The case has been in front of the United States Supreme Court following two separate rulings by the Ninth Circuit Court. The Ninth Circuit Court did not agree the project would affect freedom of Religion. The Supreme Court has not yet agreed to hear the current case Apache Stronghold vs US Government nor have they issued a dissent on the case. In a press release from Becket Fund, “The feds are barreling ahead to give Oak Flat to Resolution Copper, even as the Supreme Court considers whether to hear the case,” said Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. “This makes the stakes crystal clear: if the Court doesn’t act now, Oak Flat could be transferred and destroyed before justice can be served.”
“A decade of feedback from local communities and Native American Tribes has shaped this project every step of the way, and we remain committed to maintaining an open dialogue to ensure the Resolution Copper project moves forward responsibly and sustainably as we transition into the next phase of the permitting process. Working together, we have created a plan that preserves the area’s cultural heritage and natural resources and enhances recreational opportunities while creating new economic opportunities that will put Arizona resources and workers at the center of the nation’s energy security and infrastructure needs, with a domestic supply of copper and other critical minerals,” said Peacey.
“We are ready for the next phases of this project,” explained Mayor Mila Besich. “We have worked to ensure that this project will be net positive for Superior and our region”.