Recently I signed an online petition to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to protest federal land (sacred to the San Carlos Apache tribe) being “swapped” away to Resolution Copper for mining.
Below is the canned e-mail response I received from Feinstein today. I’ve added bolding to major points:
Thank you for contacting me about proposed federal land exchanges in southeastern Arizona. Your correspondence is important to me, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.
I understand that you oppose a proposed land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and a private mining company. As you may know, the fiscal year 2015 National Defense National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 113-291) included a provision sponsored by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) authorizing the Forest Service to transfer approximately 2,400 acres of land in Tonto National Forest and Oak Flat, Arizona, to the mining company Resolution Copper. In exchange, Resolution Copper will transfer 5,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land parcels throughout Arizona to the Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Following the land swap, the Secretary of the Interior would be legally required to issue a special-use permit to Resolution Copper for approved mining and mineral exploration activities on the company's newly acquired lands.
I voted for the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 89 to 11, because it funded our military and several federal programs that benefit our nation's veterans. I also strongly supported the public lands package included in this law that improved environmental protections for more than 1 million acres of public lands across the United States.
A significant number of Native American tribes, conservationists, and other groups oppose this proposed land exchange because they believe that mining may damage lands sacred to Arizona's San Carlos Apache Tribe. I am extremely mindful of the need to respect and help preserve Native American culture, as California is home to the largest Native American population in the country. On November 5, 2015, Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT) introduced the "Save Oak Flat Act" (S. 2242), which would repeal the authorization and requirement for a land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and Resolution Copper. S. 2242 currently awaits action by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, of which I am not a member.
Our public lands are a s a cred [sic] trust, and I share your view that any exchange of federally managed lands must serve the best interests of the American people. Please know that I very much appreciate learning of your concerns about the proposed land exchange with Resolution Copper. Be assured that I will keep your views in mind as the Senate continues to debate this issue.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. I hope you will continue to keep me informed on issues of importance to you. If you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C., office at (202) 224-3841 or visit my website at http://feinstein.senate.gov. ; Best regards.
Sincerely yours,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator