For the Greater Good

The Land Exchange Bill is stalled in the Senate and it doesn't look like anyone can bring about a resolution for Resolution Copper before the new administration comes in. For all of the questions and strife it has caused for some in this tiny town of Superior, one thing is clear. Superior and its residents NEED this copper mine. They're not going to survive without it. Any why they are not getting it, is not clear.

What is CLEAR is that a lot of hanky panky and Big Money is going on behind closed doors regarding the legislation that could make this new copper mine a reality. Three years ago, Arizona's Governor Napolitano was for this bill. Now, she's distanced herself to no help at all. And why would that be? Since if the mine goes through, the fiscal impact on Arizona's economy would be between 600 and 800 million a year, for upwards of sixy years. Isn't that saying something in this economy that's bordering on Depression when jobs, - any jobs - are scarce to come by? Wouldn't anybody who is leading a state be proud to sponsor some legislation that would bring those kinds of Buckos into their state's coffers? Guess not.

Why not? Well... evidently, personal gains have gotten in the way. There's an environmental bigshot, with Big Money (he's married to a DuPont... and you know what? I've NEVER been a Jeff Gordon fan!) who has put up over a quarter of a million dollars the past two years to politicos to defeat this proposed land exchange that would make the copper mine a reality. The environmental bigshot is Bill Roe and he is highly regarded in Arizona's environmental community, like the Nature Conservancy. He has donated money to Janet Napolitano's PAC groups and others as well as big donations to Obama's elections and the Democratic Party. The man is determined to stop the mine. He claims he only wants Resolution Copper to add another choice bit of land to the bill, that along the San Pedro River near San Manuel. That's what he claims. But Resolution Copper doesn't own the land Mr. Roe is interested in having. It is owned by BHP that owns part of Resolution Copper but they are not a bit interested in taking that out of their pocket to make the Resolution Copper mine a reality. And why should they be? It sounds like political blackmail from where I am.

At first, I have to admit, I wasn't Gung Ho for the copper mine to move into this town. I've been worried about water quality and the fact of a mine going in two miles down that might implode the mountain. But there's a heap of technical stuff I don't understand and won't live long enough to begin to understand. So I have to hope that the Right Things will prevail to mean there won't be a huge environmental disaster around here. What is Paramount right now is what is the Greater Good? I believe it is for the young families around Superior and Pinal and Gila counties that don't have jobs or a good enough job to provide for their livelihoods. It's for this super little mining town of Superior that is hanging on by her darned fingernails as she slowly slips away brick by brick because there isn't enough business to sustain business in what could be a bustling little town.

What I'm saying is this: It's time for the politicians to stop thinking of their damned personal gain and start thinking about their constituency and get the Lead Out and get this bill moving through the Senate and House again, - before this next Administration starts all over again - and make this Land Exchange a reality. Forget the dealings of these "do-gooders" Environmentalists and these politicians who aren't looking out for anybody but themselves and do something for this corner of Arizona. We need this mine. AND WE NEED IT NOW!