Summo USA Corp. hopes to extract 34 million pounds of
copper each year over a 10-year period from the Lisbon Valley
southeast of Moab, Utah. The operation would include four open-pit
mines as well as waste-rock dumps and a processing plant on 1,030
acres of public, state and private lands. According to a draft
environmental impact statement, the Lisbon Valley is the site of
previous copper and uranium mining, and recreational opportunities
and visual qualities are “not outstanding.” Bureau of Land
Management project coordinator Lynn Jackson reports little
environmental criticism of the proposal: “They are not dead set
against it as long as we are doing everything right.” Some nearby
residents, however, say that the draft EIS fails to adequately
address questions of noise, traffic, air quality and chemical
spills. Because Summo Corp. doesn’t plan to refill the open pits
after mining is completed, Moab resident Kevin Walker says that
water seeping into the pits could create “toxic lakes.” Although
Summo claims the cost of backfilling would kill the operation, BLM
has another reason for allowing the pits to remain open: filling
them with mine rubble could poison groundwater in the area. The
deadline for public comment on the proposal is July 15; for a copy
of the draft EIS or further information, contact Lynn Jackson at
801/ 259-6111. Send written comments to Kate Kitchell, BLM District
Manager, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, Utah
84532.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline It’s the pits.
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