WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rich Nolan, President and CEO of the National Mining Association (NMA), today commented on the decision of the 9th Circuit District Court in Center For Biological Diversity v. USFWS, concerning the proposed Rosemont Mine in Arizona.
“We continue to believe that the District Court’s decision was fundamentally flawed, conflicts with more than a century of U.S. Supreme Court decisions on the Mining Law, and destabilizes the careful balance required between the vital need for responsible domestic mineral development and the preservation of certain federal lands. The USGS found that our import dependence once again increased this year, even while our mineral demands are skyrocketing; this project is a prime example of why that is the case. More than 12 years and $100 million have been put into the permitting process and, yet, this proposed project – which could positively contribute to the realization of our country’s electrification and future energy goals – remains stalled. While projected minerals demand increases are staggering and require the U.S. to be in the game, flawed rulings like this one will only ensure the U.S. watches the global energy race from the sidelines.”
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