Jobs can’t make up for ruined beauty
Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 20, 2011
What are people thinking? Are they just succumbing to the money Rosemont Mine has poured into our community to buy our support? Or, enjoying the view of our mines to the south, thinking that “look” would be great in the Santa Ritas, too?
Two managers at McDonald’s tell me that the average McDonald’s employs the equivalent of 50 workers doing eight-hour shifts.
Wouldn’t you rather have eight new McDonald’s than a scar that will never heal on our beautiful mountains? OK, miners earn more; so 16, 24 … ?
Why are we considering selling our future for 400 jobs? Especially when those jobs will cripple a portion of our tourism industry and deplete and pollute our precious water!
Michael Gordy
Retired TUSD teacher, Tucson
Rosemont Mine endangers grandkids
Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 14, 2011
There is an endangered species that has not been considered in any of the deliberations regarding the establishment of the Rosemont Mine.
That endangered species is the grandchildren of the present residents of Southeastern Arizona.
For the want of relatively few and very likely, short-duration jobs, we the people and our governmental agencies seem to consider our grandchildren a small sacrifice for short-term economic gains.
Why are they endangered? To name just one: water – its quality and its availability. Without adequate amounts of quality water, the economic infrastructure of Southeastern Arizona dries up.
Less water means higher water bills. Poor water quality is a health hazard. Quality of life declines. Families move on; businesses and jobs leave.
Allowing the Rosemont Mine is a major step in that unfortunate direction.
Promises by Rosemont are empty. With a change of corporate ownership or bankruptcy – all such promises no longer apply.
If they are still around, our grandkids will have to foot the bill to clean up the mess – if even possible – that we allowed to be created.
Dennis Winsten
Consultant, Tucson
Don’t spoil Santa Ritas
Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 12, 2011
If anyone wants to know what the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains will look like if the Rosemont Mine is opened, all they have to do is drive south along I-19 and look west. In the Sahuarita-Green Valley area, they will see miles of mine tailings piled hundreds of feet high.
Pump millions of gallons of precious water, ruin the surroundings, displace animals for what? Four hundred temporary (20-year) jobs, with the profits going to the Canadian company, Augusta Resource Corp., that owns them. Certainly not worth desecrating our American landscape.
John E. Lutzel
Retired, Marana
Save the Santa Ritas
Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 8, 2011
Re: the July 1 article ” ‘Irretrievable loss’ at mine site.”
Hopefully people of Tucson and the surrounding areas will take a long, hard look at the devastation that the Rosemont Copper Mine will create in the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains. Please weigh this devastation against the small economic gain this mine will create.
Once this mountain is destroyed, it will never return to what it is now in spite of all the wonderful plans Rosemont Copper wants us to believe in their expensive media campaign.
Get involved and save this part of Southern Arizona for future generations as they take the beautiful drive on Highway 83 to Sonoita and Patagonia. If you have never taken this drive, please do so soon.
Thank you for publishing those pictures on your front page.
Grace Wystrach
Sonoita rancher
Mining pollutes, destroys scenery
Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 7, 2011
Re: the July 1 article ” ‘Irretrievable loss’ at mine site.”
Kudos to Tony Davis for bringing this issue front and center. The scenic impact would be devastating to the entire area, not to mention significant loss of groundwater, dust, air and noise pollution and a negative impact of tourism.
Rosemont spokesmen seem to have quick solutions to complex issues like revegetation of tailings and dust, while experienced mining companies continue to wrestle with these same issues with very limited success.
Just take a look at the hideous tailings in Green Valley, particularly on a windy day.
Mine truck traffic would have a profound impact on Arizona 83. But rail cars loaded with ore bound for Mexico would have a profound impact on Green Valley as they make their way south to the border.
Enough is enough! It is essential that the beauty and tranquillity of this area be left intact for current and future generations to enjoy!
David Babson
Retired, Green Valley
Forest Service study suggests glum future
Arizona Daily Star Letter to the Editor | July 3, 2011
Re: the July 1 article “Forest Service foresees huge scenic impact over Rosemont’s projected life.”
Thanks to the Star and the Forest Service for showing us graphically what the Rosemont mine would look like.
It’s sad that we, as a people, come to this myopic view. Is this the 19th century? Beaten down by the abuses of the recession, are we reduced to this diminished vision for Tucson’s future? Another dusty former mining town?
And have we asked the mountains and valleys, here since before people set foot in the area, have we asked them what they want? What they are worth? Do they ask to be pounded into piles of dust? What of the plants and animals, part of a miracle much greater than the smelting of metals can ever be? What do they say?
Is there no better vision of the future to compete with this? Can we even imagine a beautiful future for all of us?
Roger Barthelson
Research biologist, Tucson
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