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U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack warning that a Chinese government-backed company would have a hand in the proposed Resolution Copper mine that is to be developed within the Tonto National Forest in Grijalva's home state of Arizona.
According to Grijalva's letter, Rio Tinto, one of the proponents of the mine, has significant ties with China. "Nothing is stopping Rio Tinto and BHP from exporting copper mined on U.S. soil to be processed and sold on the global market, largely to the benefit of foreign nations, including the Chinese Communist Party, which is Rio Tinto's largest shareholder," Grijalva said.
The San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Tribal communities in Arizona have argued the mine will destroy culturally significant sacred sites and deplete already scarce water resources, particularly in the area known as Oak Flat. The fight against the mine is directly tied to a 2015 congressionally approved land swap, which requires an environmental impact statement (EIS) before giving the plots, including Oak Flat, to global mining giants Rio Tinto PLC and BHP Group Ltd. Grijalva's letter implores Secretary Vilsack to use the agency’s discretion and delay release of a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the mine. Grijalva is also sponsoring legislation to undo the land swap.
In a separate letter, Grijalva asked House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman for a hearing on Rio Tinto’s connections to the Chinese Communist Party. In the letter, Grijalva reminds Westerman of his own concerns about pushing back against Chinese control of U.S. mineral supplies that he has previously stated during hearings related to a permitting bill moving through Congress.
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We ranch, recreate, hunt and run small businesses throughout the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. The Missouri River is the lifeblood of our agricultural, cultural, and economic well-being. We’ve experienced firsthand that with the monument designation, we’ve had better access, a more informed public, and better managed landscapes for the benefit of all.”
