Washington, D.C.,
Oct 26, 2011 -
Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona’s Sixth District, today praised the House passage of H.R. 1904, the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011, which facilitates the development of an underground copper mine near Superior, Arizona for the largest undeveloped copper deposit in North America.
According to a recent independent economic analysis, the construction and future maintenance of the mine will create and support 3,700 jobs annually.
The land exchange necessary to the development of the mine would bring more than 5,500 acres of conservation lands into federal stewardship in exchange for approximately 2,600 acres of federal lands and would be facilitated at no cost to the federal government.
“There are thousands of people in Arizona who will be especially grateful for the jobs they’ll have as a result of this mine,” said Flake. “
Rarely does Congress have the opportunity to approve a measure that allows the private sector to create jobs at no cost to the federal government all while protecting thousands of acres of environmentally-sensitive land.”
Video of Congressman Flake speaking on the House Floor in support of the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act can be seen
here and
here.
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