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SALT LAKE CITY -- Environmental groups gathered at the Salt Lake City Library Wednesday to make a stand against a massive copper mine expansion.
The Cornerstone Project would expand operations at Kennecott Utah Copper through 2028. But the group of doctors, environmentalists and everyday citizens at the press conference say it will bring too much pollution and risk to human health to the Salt Lake Valley.
For years, Rio Tinto has manipulated Utah state agencies, pushed the permitting process to the limit, and operated beyond the constraints and intent of the EPA.
–Ashley Sanders, Utah Moms for Clean Air
#sanders_quote
"For years, Rio Tinto has manipulated Utah state agencies, pushed the permitting process to the limit, and operated beyond the constraints and intent of the EPA, the Clean Air Act and our state implementation process," said Ashley Sanders, with Utah Moms for Clean Air.
Kennecott denies those claims, and parent company Rio Tinto breaks the plan down into a few simple points: Move and crush more rock; generate more power, more cleanly; and store more tailings.
It would add a couple hundred more jobs and have an economic impact of $1 billion per year.
"We have some of the world's best environmental experts who we've brought on board with us to develop this proposal to submit to DEQ, and it's up to DEQ to decide if this is protective of human health," said Jana Kettering, spokeswoman for Rio Tinto.
Kettering says Kennecott is responsible for only 6 percent of pollution in the Salt Lake Valley. Opponents Wednesday said that number is actually 30 percent, and they are skeptical Kennecott's switch to natural gas will decrease that number.
"The technical support documents submitted by the DEQ, by Rio Tinto, states that by increasing mine activity by 32 percent, they will simultaneously reduce particulate pollution by 48 percent. Yet there's no explanation in the documents as to how they'll do that," said Dr. Scott Hurst, vice president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.
The protestors' press conference coincides with a protest in London Wednesday, at Rio Tinto's headquarters for the annual shareholder's meeting. Utah protestors challenged Rio Tinto's CEO to a debate of the project in Salt Lake City.
"Bring any attorneys, experts, engineers, and whoever you think will make your case, and debate us before the citizens of Utah," Sanders said.
Currently, Kennecott generates nearly 25 percent of refined copper in the United States, as well as gold and silver. The company employs 2,700 people, and executives pointed out the expansion would allow them to keep those jobs as well.
Email: sdallof@ksl.com
