A group of citizens and business owners in Superior have
created a new organization they say is intended to support local economic and
community development efforts and hold local elected officials accountable.
The Superior Copper Alliance
was formed following the Superior Town Council’s withdrawal of support
for the Resolution Copper project. They helped gather more than 400 signatures on
a petition giving support to the mine project and have spoken out against the
actions of the Town Council.
The Superior Copper Alliance has also taken out recall petitions
against Councilmember “Kiki” Peralta. She
has raised concerns about water and environmental issues. Peralta says the plan
of operations for the mine still needs to be disclosed and discussed.
The Superior Town Council has terminated its Mutual Benefirts
Agreement with Resolution Copper, saying
it required the town to borrow $8
million to purchase land already owned or permitted to the Town.
The Queen Valley Homeowners Association has passed a
resolution opposing the bill. It says the mining company has been pumping
900,000 gallons of water a day out of the Queen Creek drainage area, which they
say is water their community depends on.
The City of Globe recently tabled a resolution of support for the Land
Swap bill, largely because of concerns over the copper company’s requirement
for 40,000 acre feet of water a year. Globe Councilmember Dezi Baker says that
amount of water could supply the City of Globe for 16 years. He says he cannot
support the bill without full disclosure about the mining company’s water needs
and its compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
The Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce has stated its
support for the bill.
Opponents say the mine would destroy an area set aside in
1955 by President Eisenhower that is sacred to the San Carlos Apache Tribe.
