Rosemont News and Press Releases

TUCSON, AZ (Feb. 2, 2012) – A federal judge in Tucson dismissed a lawsuit brought by environmental organizations and Farmers Investment Co. against the Coronado National Forest. The dismissal issued Monday is with prejudice, which means that these claims cannot be reasserted in a later lawsuit.

In their lawsuit, the groups claimed that the Forest Service violated the Freedom of Information Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act in connection with their environmental review of the Rosemont Copper project. 

“Our company has contended all along that the lawsuit lacked merit,” said Kathy Arnold, Rosemont Copper Vice President of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs. “This dismissal shows that there was no real basis to sue the Forest Service and attempt to disrupt approval of Rosemont’s project.”

Shortly after the lawsuit was filed last February, the plaintiffs asked the court to issue an injunction preventing the Forest Service’s release of the draft environmental impact statement concerning Rosemont’s proposed copper mine, located southeast of Tucson. In an order issued last June, Senior District Judge Frank R. Zapata denied the injunction, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to show that they were entitled to relief.

Following Judge Zapata’s ruling, the plaintiffs made little effort to pursue their claims.  In November, the Forest Service filed a motion for summary judgment on the Freedom of Information Act claim, which ultimately resulted in an agreement to end the lawsuit. The Forest Service also agreed to pay the Center for Biological Diversity $6,000 to reimburse a portion of that group’s legal fees. 

The Coronado National Forest released its draft environmental impact statement concerning Rosemont Copper’s proposed copper mine on October 18, 2011.  The public comment period ended Tuesday, January 31.  A decision approving Rosemont Copper’s mining plan is expected later this year.

 

ABOUT ROSEMONT COPPER COMPANY
The Rosemont Copper project is located in Pima County, approximately 30 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona, and contains a world-class open-pit copper/molybdenum/silver deposit.  Located in an existing mining district, Rosemont Copper will set a high standard for sustainable mining practices, including using solar power, consuming less than half the water as traditional mines, and reclaiming the site from the start of operations as permanent open space. Arizona, the copper state, produces 65 percent of the United States’ supply of copper on only a quarter of one percent of the state’s land. Rosemont Copper is expected to provide more than 10 percent of the U.S. copper supply while requiring less than half the land area of other Pima County mines.  A recent study by Arizona State University showed the region would benefit over the life of the mine, adding 406 direct and 1700 indirect jobs, $3 billion in increased personal income, $404 million in local taxes and $15 billion in local economic revenue. For more information, visit the Rosemont Copper website at www.rosemontcopper.com.

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DENVER, Jan. 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Augusta Resource Corporation (TSX/NYSE Amex: AZC) ("Augusta") is pleased to announce the completion of the public hearings on the draft EIS and to provide an update on the permitting process for its Rosemont Copper project.

USFS Environmental Impact Statement
The final public hearing on the Rosemont draft EIS was held on January 14, with a public comment submission deadline scheduled for January 18, 2012. The USFS Coronado National Forest has extended this comment submission period for the draft EIS from January 18, 2012 to January 31, 2012 due to a technical problem when their email server went down on January 18, 2012.  The Coronado National Forest's email inbox had rejected comments during the last hours available for submission of public comments. The Company supports this time extension to ensure that all comments can be received without technical difficulty. Work by the USFS continues unabated to analyze and answer comments as received. Augusta sees no material impact on the project's schedule from this two week extension.

ACOE 404 Permit
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) completed their 45-day public comment period for the draft Clean Water Act 404 permit on January 19, 2012. As part of the comment process, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as an advisory agency, has submitted a letter to the ACOE identifying the Rosemont permit as a candidate for review by the EPA and ACOE headquarters.  The letter was expected and typical of projects of this magnitude.  The full environmental impact statement (EIS) of the Rosemont Copper project, under the lead of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), includes extensive analysis and reviews conducted and completed by technical experts and the numerous Federal and State agencies that address the impact items listed in the EPA letter successfully and adequately.

The EPA letter to the ACOE identifies those subject areas that the EPA wishes to review in detail with the ACOE. The Rosemont team will continue to work with the ACOE and EPA team to ensure that the EPA's questions are answered fully and that the project meets the Clean Water Act compliance standards. Although the EPA plays an important advisory role in the 404 permit application process, the agency does not actually issue a permit during this process, the permitting role is reserved for the ACOE.

Other Permits
The Arizona State Line Siting Committee issued its Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) to the Tucson Electric Power Company on December 19, 2011.  The CEC specifies the selected route for the transmission line to the Rosemont Copper project, which runs parallel to the project's water pipeline.

In addition, the ADEQ held a public hearing on January 5, 2012 and will complete their public comment period for the draft Aquifer Protection Permit on February 3, 2012.

"We continue with our efforts to keep the Rosemont project on track and we are pleased with our progress as well as the tremendous support Rosemont has received from the public, local community groups, state trade and labor associations and the business community," commented Gil Clausen, Augusta's President and CEO. "The Rosemont Copper team has designed a modern, low impact mine.  They have worked with the various agencies to ensure that our project complies with all legal requirements and that the permitting process progresses in a timely manner.  We remain focused on that commitment and in keeping to our schedule to commence project construction in the third quarter of 2012."

For a complete list of permits already received please visit Augusta's website (www.augustaresource.com).

About Augusta
Augusta is a base metals company focused on advancing the Rosemont Copper deposit near Tucson, Arizona. Rosemont hosts a large copper/molybdenum reserve that may account for about 10% of US copper output once in production in 2014 (for details refer to www.augustaresource.com). The exceptional experience and strength of Augusta's management team, combined with the developed infrastructure and robust economics of the Rosemont project, propels Augusta to becoming a solid mid-tier copper producer. The Company trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE Amex under the symbol AZC.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to statements concerning: the Company's plans at the Rosemont Project; estimated production; and capital and operating and cash flow estimates. Forward-looking statements or information include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information.

Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties relating to: history of losses; requirements for additional capital; dilution; loss of its material properties; interest rates increase; global economy; no history of production; speculative nature of exploration activities; periodic interruptions to exploration, development and mining activities; environmental hazards and liability; industrial accidents; failure of processing and mining equipment; labour disputes; supply problems; commodity price fluctuations; uncertainty of production and cost estimates; the interpretation of drill results and the estimation of mineral resources and reserves; legal and regulatory proceedings and community actions; title matters; regulatory restrictions; permitting and licensing; volatility of the market price of Common Shares; insurance; competition; hedging activities; currency fluctuations; loss of key employees; as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 29, 2011. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law, and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States.

The US Forest Service will be holding the final public hearing on Rosemont Copper's Draft Environmental Impact Statement  this Saturday January 14. The public comment period for the DEIS closes on Wednesday January 18.

Hearing Details:

Sahuarita District Auditorium,

350 W Sahuarita Road, Sahuarita, AZ, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM

 

You can also share your online, by phone or mail.

Online: http://comments.rosemonteis.us

Phone:(888) 654-6646.

 

Comments may be emailed to CoronadoNF@RosemontEIS.us. Emailed comments should identify “Rosemont Copper Project DEIS” in the subject line with attachments in Microsoft Word (.docx), rich-text format (.rtf), or portable document format (.pdf).

Comments may be sent via U.S. mail to:

Rosemont Comments
P.O. Box 4207
Logan, UT 84323

Tony Davis, Arizona Daily Star

Posted: Sunday, November 13, 2011

Opponents of the Rosemont mine could have been the Arizona Wildcats football team Saturday, given the thrashing they took at the first public meeting on the mine's environmental report.

At the first of seven or maybe eight such meetings on the hotly contested Rosemont draft environmental impact statement, a sprinkling of a half-dozen or so voices against the mine were drowned out by a chorus of nearly 50 speakers in favor. The disparity was the product of a Rosemont Copper organizing effort that far outstripped that of the leading opposition group. Save the Scenic Santa Ritas has spent five years fighting the mine project.

At a meeting on Tucson's far east side that drew about 300 people, supporters spoke of Arizona's mining heritage and the 21st-century technologies Rosemont Copper says it will use. They talked about the widespread use of copper in hybrid cars and solar panels, the hard work they credited the Forest Service with doing on the environmental statement, and how U.S. mining rules are far stronger than those in foreign countries where copper is mined. Above all, they talked about jobs, jobs and more jobs.

"Yes to jobs" and "Yes to copper" were written on green paper badges worn by many of the supporters at the Palo Verde High School hearing. The badges were just part of Rosemont Copper's organizing effort. The company also printed up talking points for supporters to speak from: "Start by introducing yourself - say where you live, maybe how long you have lived in the area and any other information that ties you to the community." Rosemont officials invited supporters by mail, and then gathered them before the meeting at a local hotel to prep them.

"We need copper. We need jobs. The Rosemont company has worked diligently with all the agencies to try to mitigate all the impacts of the mine," said supporter Warren Hatcher of Marana, who described himself as an enthusiastic hiker and camper. "Copper is the only safe material for electricity. As we go to hybrids we need even more copper than in the past.

"We are all aware of the unfortunate people suffering from our economic downturn. This will be a great boon to the economy here."

What kind of Tucson will we have if the economy continues to deteriorate and the younger generation leaves, added John McCallum, a 60-year Tucson resident and Rosemont supporter.

"I love and want to protect the beauty of the mountains and desert. But I feel the number one thing is jobs. Without it, you have death, depression and decay. Without revenue, the quality of life suffers. Fire and local services are cut back. School systems deteriorate. Families suffer. Two of my children had to leave the state. One had her house foreclosed due to her employer downsizing."

Lawrence Dykers, a mining engineer who said he lives on a reclaimed mine dump in Marana, recalled that he served on a number of government committees and subcommittees dealing with mining regulations going back to 1961. The regulations are valuable to assure that everyone can live next to a mine without being poisoned, he said.

But, "by the same token, the same regulations have been sabotaged, and taken into a use not intended - to stop progress at any cost," Dykers said. "We would not have the things we have today without the mineral industry to provide raw materials."

One of the few speakers against the mine was Robert Binnie, a biochemist and researcher who has lived in the Tucson area for most of the past 50 years. He said that instead of providing 20 years of steady jobs, the mine's employment is likely to be up and down, causing workers to buy homes, get laid off and start over.

"If you don't believe me, go take a look at San Manuel, where the mine there is played out and the town is gone," Binnie said. "What they say is reclaimed looks like a wasteland because it is . . . To hear some speakers, you think this is a nonprofit company coming here to bring jobs and money when in fact this is a for-profit company that will take resources and money out of the country."

More typical was Bill Assenmacher, president and CEO of Caid Industries, who noted that his company is hiring welders and machinists, many of them for mining-related work. He said he plans to make Rosemont one of his best customers.

"We do want Rosemont to follow all the rules. We want to see the process moving on diligently. If someone wants to come to your community and bring in jobs - and spend a billion dollars, why do we throw roadblocks at them?" Assenmacher said.

Virtually absent from the testimony was any mention of strengths or weaknesses of the environmental impact statement - the public meeting's purpose. Quick to point that out was Gayle Hartmann, president of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, who dismissed Saturday's session as "a pep rally."

She acknowledged that her group had done a less-than-stellar job of organizing opponents, and said that she herself was late to the meeting due to a personal commitment. But she said this meeting reminded her of an early public meeting on the mine in 2008 when Rosemont also hustled to get supporters to testify in favor of the mine.

"People were misled about this mine - there will only be a small number of jobs," Hartmann said. The company has estimated 400 to 450 jobs during operation plus 2,100 construction jobs. She also predicted the country will be well past its current economic slump by the time Rosemont opens, if it does.

Rosemont President Rod Pace countered that the opponents held workshops recently to teach people how to effectively comment on the draft. The mining company's tactic this time was to send out letters to people on a "huge" supporter list to invite them to the meeting, then meet with them ahead of time at the Radisson Hotel, 6555 E. Speedway, "to talk to them a little bit, to tell the Forest Service what they feel either way.

"I'm astonished at how many people came out to support Rosemont and that there were so few opponents," Pace said.

Contact reporter Tony Davis at tdavis@azstarnet.com or 806-7746.

Click here to see the article.

Tucson, AZ (November 4, 2011) – Two public meetings regarding the Rosemont Copper Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) are being rescheduled due to potential conflicts with local events. The first and last meetings, scheduled to be held at the Desert Diamond Conference Center in Sahuarita, Arizona on October 22 and January 7, have been postponed. One has been rescheduled (see below) and arrangements are being made for the second meeting and a possible additional meeting.

The Coronado National Forest is accepting public comments on the DEIS in a variety of formats. The DEIS is available online at www.RosemontEIS.us. Citizens are encouraged to review this document before submitting comments. Although comments may be submitted in many ways, citizens need only provide comments once for them to receive full consideration. The 90-day comment period began on October 21, following publication of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Notice of Availability of the DEIS in the Federal Register. Requirements for commenting may be found at 36 Code of Federal Regulations Part 215.

The Coronado National Forest is planning to host the following public meetings to share information about and take comments on the DEIS. Each meeting will include both informational sessions and comment sessions. Oral statements made during the comment session will be recorded. Written comments will also be taken at the meetings. Citizens do not need to be present at any meetings to comment on the DEIS.

• November 12, 2011, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  Palo Verde High School, 1302 S. Avenida Vega, Tucson, AZ
• November 19, 2011, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  Empire High School, 10701 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, Tucson, AZ
• December 1, 2011, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
  Corona Middle School, 16705 S. Houghton Road, Corona, AZ
• December 7, 2011, 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
  Benson High School, 360 S. Patagonia Street, Benson, AZ
• December 10, 2011, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  Elgin Elementary School, 23 Elgin Rd., Elgin, AZ

Arrangements are being made for a meeting in Sahuarita, and a meeting in Green Valley if a suitable facility can be contracted.

Arrangements are also being made for shuttle bus transportation to some of the meetings. Details will be posted to the project website at www.RosemontEIS.us.

Brief oral comments can be made by calling toll-free (888) 654-6646.

Comments may be submitted electronically on the project website at www.RosemontEIS.us by following the link to “Comment Here.”

Written comments may be mailed to:

Rosemont Comments
P.O. Box 4207
Logan, UT 84323

Written comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (435) 750-8799 and by electronic mail (e-mail) to CoronadoNF@RosemontEIS.us. The subject line of facsimiles and e-mails should include the words “Rosemont Copper Project DEIS”. E-mail attachments should be in Word (.docx), rich-text format (.rtf), or portable document format (.pdf).

For questions or special needs regarding the public meetings or the comment period, the public may call (520) 388-8300 voice or (520) 388-8304 TTY.

Additional information about the Rosemont Copper Project DEIS is available online at www.RosemontEIS.us.