KEARNY, Ariz. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los
Angeles District held a public meeting to present results of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Ray Mine Tailings Storage
Facility Feb. 24.
In March 2013, ASARCO LLC submitted a Section 404 permit
application to the Corps for the construction and operation of a new TSF near
the existing open pit copper mine in Pinal County.
To prepare the DEIS, Regulatory staff from the District’s
Arizona-Nevada Area Office met partner agencies and stakeholders in scoping
meetings at the Ray Elementary School Cafeteria in Kearny and the Performing
Arts Center at the Apache Junction High School in Apache Junction in September
2013. Comments from the general public
were solicited and twenty two letters and emails were received during the
comment period.
"Scoping is a very important part of the EIS
process," said Mike Langley, senior project manager with the Regulatory
Division. "It allows for input to the Corps on alternatives to be
considered and highlights environmental issues that should be addressed."
The cooperating agencies, Bureau of Land Management,
Bureau of Indian Affairs - San Carlos Irrigation Project, and the Environmental
Protection Agency, will assist the Corps with comments received, pertinent to
areas of their jurisdiction and expertise.
"The Corps will review comments received during the
public review period," added Langley. "If necessary, revisions to the
EIS can be made for the final version. The Final EIS will provide a record of
all comments made on the DEIS and how those comments were addressed."
The comment period for the final EIS will end on March 14.