Mine land-swap vote imminent in Senate
By Emily Bregel | Arizona Daily Star
A U.S. Senate decision is imminent on legislation that would ease the way for a massive copper mine 100 miles north of Tucson.
The Senate could vote Wednesday or Thursday on the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a bill to give 2,400 acres of national forest land near Superior to a foreign mining company.
Opponents are outraged that legislators inserted the hotly contested land swap into a must-pass piece of legislation at the 11th hour.
“They’re trying to sneak it through,” said Superior Town Councilman Gilbert Aguilar, a former miner. “That’s pretty desperate to me.”
