Last Night’s Town Council Meeting
Tweet
Last night several people attended the Florence Town Council meeting asking the Council to reconsider spending tax dollars on losing legal battles. Stacy Gramazio, our Manager of Communications & Public Affairs, addressed the Council on behalf of Florence Copper. Here is what she said:
Good evening Florence Town Council Members.
My name is Stacy Gramazio, and I’m here representing Florence Copper Inc. located at 1575 W. Hunt Highway.
I’d like to speak to agenda item no. 8.c., a resolution authorizing the Town to challenge an amendment to an existing Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) (No. 101704).
Before you vote on this resolution, I wanted to help make sure you have as good an understanding as possible about what this resolution really means.
The resolution has nothing to do with the state and federal permits for the upcoming Production Test Facility. Nor does the resolution have anything to do with the copper recovery operations that you oppose.
The amendment relates to existing water monitoring wells that are on site now and have been on-site and functioning for 20 years.
After 20 years in operation, repairs are required and two of the monitoring wells need to be replaced.
These monitoring wells were installed by the previous project owners and help test current water quality conditions. They are there to ensure that current environmental standards are tracked and able to be maintained.
Florence Copper has a regulatory duty and legal obligation to ensure these monitoring wells are working and functioning properly. That is why this work is being done.
These monitoring wells perform the very function that the Town Council says it is most interested in – water protection.
In the 20 years that these wells have been doing their job, there has never been a violation of water quality standards.
For the Council to now challenge this repair and replacement work — which is what this resolution is proposing — is baffling and leaves me wondering about the information and advice you have been given by those who advise you.
This resolution is not a demonstration of your commitment to water protection. It is actually the opposite.
Voting for this resolution will be a vote against proper water quality monitoring and a vote against maintaining proper environmental standards.
These are important matters and each member of Council has an obligation to get the facts and to be fully informed before voting.
To help make sure you have the facts and a better understanding of the work, just come and meet with us and take a tour of our facility.
Give us the chance to show you our work and address the concerns you have. I think that is reasonable thing to ask.
Thank you.
Back to the blog index
