The Rosemont Mine

Rosemont Copper, a subsidiary of the Canadian Mining company Agusta Resource Group, is planning a large open pit mine in the Santa Rita Mountains just south of Tucson. Originally the mine was opposed almost unanimously within the Tucson region, by both democrats and republicans, but was endorsed by Jan Brewer (unsurprisingly).  However, recently, many of the local chamber of commerces (most recently the Hispanic Chamber) have came out publicly endorsing the mine project.

The project will likely last about 20 years, and at its peak will one of be the biggest open pit mines in the state. The mine itself will be located on private land which Rosemont has already purchased, but the tailings will have to be dumped somewhere, consisting of the surrounding National forest lands in the Santa Rita Mountains. Rosemont states that they will hire about 400 people into full time jobs paying about $60,000 a year as their main justification for the project. Additionally, they point out the many uses of the copper they will mine as their main justification.

It is true that copper is necessary for our modern society to exist as it is. Almost every electronic we use contains copper. In the future, more and more copper will be necessary, and ultimately it must be mined somewhere where there is an ore deposit. However, copper is not so high in demand, nor is it so scarce that we must destroy every mountain range that might have an ounce of copper. It takes mining a ton of rock to produce an ounce of copper.  We as a society can easily get the copper we need from some other location in the world that is less important environmentally to preserve. Additionally, the copper could be obtained in a less destructive manner than a large open pit mine that will destroy the environment, say for example by a much less visible underground mine (which also would have a smaller environmental footprint).

They claim the new jobs will have a residual effect of creating an additional 2000 jobs as an indirect result of the mine, claiming this will therefore improve the economy. As this may be true, in a relative sense, their effect is very minimal. The will still fall short of being one of the top employers in Pima County, and their economic benefits will likely help very few people compared to the amount of damage they will cause to the local environment. As an example, Target is a bigger employer in Tucson than Rosemont will be, including the indirect jobs.

The main problem with open pit mining is that it destroys the environment. These massive mines easily stretch for miles, and produce tons of processed tailings, which must be dumped somewhere, usually on land adjacent to the mine itself. Besides being a major eyesore that can be seen miles away, these mines often have the effect of destroying the land and wildlife that was there before the mine was built. Additionally, the mines can produce poisonous chemicals, and must be monitored for contamination. Worse yet, after mining is complete, the mines are usually abandoned as is, without being re-filled, and set to allow nature to attempt to re-claim them, usually by creating a lake through water storage. This doesn't always work, and when it does, it can easily take 100 years.

Rosemont said they will protect the environment and try to preserve the natural contours of the mountain to help save the environment, but that is not too likely. The US Forest Service draft Environmental Impact Statement states that the mine will have the following adverse environmental effects:

• Increases in soil erosion  and reduced soil productivity from ground disturbance
• Reduced groundwater availability in nearby wells
• Increase in dust and airborne chemicals as a direct result of mining and reclamation

Above is an example of another open pit mine, where the mining company promised to protect the environment. This is not what I consider preserving the local environment; in fact it is just the opposite, as it clearly is destroyed. These open pit mines stretch for miles and destroy entire mountain ranges. Some are even the size of large cities. While the mine will be built on private land, the tailings will be dumped in the surrounding Coronado National Forest, and the mine will likely destroy the Santa Rita Mountains. At its peak, the eyesore of a mine will be visible from both highway 83 and in Sahuarita and Green Valley from I-19.

Economic effects include requirements for infrastructure changes on highway 83, which will require taxpayer money. Property values in the area will decrease as a former community asset is turned into an eyesore. Southern Pima County tourism will decrease as a result of the destruction of the Santa Ritas as they will become inaccessible to hikers and outdoor recreation. Additionally, many cultural and historical sites sacred to local Native American tribes will be destroyed.  Furthermore, natural resources gathered by Tohono O'odham families for their livelihood will be destroyed if the mine is built.

Santa Rita Mountains

In spite of the near unanimous local opposition, their effort is unlikely to succeed, as the laws are written in their favor. Under the 1872 Mining law, the US Forest Service is legally unable to stop the project without an act of congress, in spite of their environmental concerns, and legally they must approve the project. This is one law which congress should change.

So at this point here is what can be done to stop the project:

• Join Save The Scenic Santa Ritas by signing their petition and staying updated.
• Volunteer or donate to Save The Scenic Santa Ritas
• Write your congressperson telling them to reform the Mining laws and oppose the project
• Buy a T-shirt or bumper sticker
• Spread the word
• Bring the issue up at political forums and town hall meetings
• Get educated on who in politics and business supports and oppose the mine, and vote for leaders who will oppose the mine.

Mining is a necessity for our modern society to function. However, most new mines are not as controversial as this one. Equally important is preserving our natural treasures, and a balance must be reached. Every minor ore deposit does not warrant a massive highly destructive mine, especially one with such adverse effects. The benefits of this mine will be mainly for Agusta and their investors, and mostly will have little effect on the greater Tucson community itself. On the other hand, the negative effects of this mine far supersede any minor benefits Tucson will receive, and will effect the entire Tucson region. With any luck, this mining project that will destroy the environment hopefully will be defeated.

Message to the RTA: Here are a few suggestions on encouraging alternative transportation

Recently, Sun Tran got a complete makeover consisting of new buses and repainting old buses to have a uniform look at a cost of $2.9 million, all the while the old buses sit in a storage yard just north of Prince Road near Interstate10. At the same time, ads started appearing on TV for Sun Tran. Both of these activities were done for the purpose of making riding the bus more attractive to commuters who otherwise would travel by car. The problem with this theory is that people already know the Sun Tran exists. These "solutions" do little to resolve the issues preventing people with cars from riding the bus. Telling them the bus is an alternative cheaper method of transportation is not going to get people to give up their car to take the bus. Especially considering the cost savings are not always as great as advertised. Sure, at current bus fares and gas prices, riding the bus may be cheaper than car ownership, but to a person who already owns a car, that is not the case. For a person with a car that gets 25 miles per gallon, they would have to ride the bus at least  9 miles each direction in a single trip before breaking even. If the miles per gallon is greater, they would have to go even further. Considering that, only people who commute the length of the entire city each day or who have to pay for parking would save money by riding the bus. Even then, it may not be the most attractive option, since it may still require driving to the bus stop or walking a large distance each way followed by a slow ride, with the possibility of getting stranded.

Ultimately, the best option for Sun Tran to improve ridership is to improve service. By improve service, I mean improve access to the bus by increasing the number of routes and placing them in areas more accessible to people, increase bus frequency, and increase the hours that the bus travels. All of this would increase ridership more than spending money on advertisements and cosmetic changes, and all of this would be a more effective use of money. Worse yet, the cosmetic changes may be for nothing, as the city is now considering using bus space for advertisements.

As a person with a car, I can think of the following as situations in which I or someone like me might take the bus:
1. Save money by avoiding a situation in which I would have to pay for parking. For example: when going downtown,  to the U of A, to the Airport, or to the rodeo parade. This is only an option sometimes, as many other places that charge for parking aren't even on a bus route.
2. Temporarily cannot drive for some reason. For example: car is in the shop, license gets suspended, eyeglasses broke, or temporary blindness.
3. Complete boredom or to waste time. Its a great way to burn time. For only $1.25 you can get somewhere in twice as long as it would take to drive there. Plus talking to the driver or other passengers on the bus gives you something to do on the ride.
4. Designated driver service. Don't drink and drive. The city bus is a much better option... except that it only operates in the daytime and there is no service after 11:00 pm. But if you drink early, you're in luck!

Keeping this in mind, here are some real suggestions for Sun Tran that would be more effective at increasing ridership that might actually help somebody like me.
1. Dial-A-ride. This is one thing the RTA has realized as a necessary void that needs to be filled. Its a great way to fill in the gaps in areas where running a bus route doesn't make sense. Unfortunately, it is a service that needs expansion, as currently it is only available in Sahuarita and Oro Valley. It should instead be available to the entire region. In addition, dial-a-ride could learn something from the U of A transportation system, specifically Safe Ride. Dial-A-Ride could easily be run as a 24 hour region-wide transportation system consisting of both advance reservation rides and on call rides, similar to a low cost flat rate taxi service that complements the bus system.
2. Simplified bus routes. Here's a radical idea: one street, one bus route, with deviations only to get to transfer centers. See the bus map below to see exactly what the problem is that I am refering to:

Take Valencia for example: To get from one end of Valencia to another, one would have to take up to four different bus routes. This plan may not always be economical, but in many cases it might be. Especially on the south side, where one street can have two or three different bus routes that easily could be consolidated. Sure, there might be a little confusion at first, but in the long run it could be more efficient and effective.

3. Expanded bus routes. The bus system covers most of the city of Tucson, but most tourist attractions are unconnected by a mere two miles. For example, route 37 could easily be extended to the Sebino Canyon Visitor's center and/or Leows Vantana Canyon Resort. Route 7 could be extended west to the Marriott Starr Pass Resort and/or east to the Saguaro National Park Visitors Center. Route 3 or 5 could go to the Wildlife Museum or Gates Pass, and a bus route on Kinney is probably needed. These extensions probably wouldn't cost too much money, as they don't require any current bus routes to change, and could probably be done relatively easily. This would benefit tourists by allowing them to visit Tucson's tourist attractions or hike in the mountains without having to rent a car. In many cities, a bus route that serves tourists can in itself can be an attraction, and can benefit the city at relatively little cost by giving them an additional method to see the city. The RTA is willing to spend $196 million on a streetcar that doesn't go very far, and really will only be used by the downtown and U of A area residents who live along its route; other than them, the only other users will likely be tourists; so why not have a bus route that might actually be useful to bring people from the city to the tourist attractions. It would have to cost much less than $196 million.

4. Regional bus routes. What about Marana? Oro Valley now has Dial-A-Ride, but what about Marana and what about the foothills? Express buses that only come twice a day that often go in the wrong direction helps nobody (or at least very few people). The RTA initiated a bus route into rural Marana (Route 410), but it doesn't go where any of the houses are. It goes right by Gladden Farms, for example, but doesn't stop there. The route it does go, however, is extremely rural. Additionally, route 412 could easily be extended two miles to service the entire Dove Mountian region.

5. Late Night Service. Bus service ends at 11 pm on weekdays, 9 pm on Saturday, and 7 pm on Sunday. But life doesn't stop at those times. As many people work late at night as who work at 5 am, when bus service begins. Additionally, night bus service on weekends would benefit those who drink at night by offering as a designated driver service, and a safe alternative to drunk driving, should they fail to plan ahead on having a designated driver.

6. More frequent service. Financially this may not be effective, but it would benefit everyone not to have to wait as long for the next bus if they missed the last one. Additionally, the bus would reach destinations quicker if each bus didn't have to stop as frequently to pick up/drop off someone.

If you are begging, have some integrity

I can't stand people who will lie to my face just to get money. I walked down Forth Avenue at night one Saturday Evening, I was stopped by a guy who asked for bus fare. This is probably the third time this happened. The first two who asked me for bus fare, I asked where they were going and what bus route they were taking, and they gave me a route that doesn't go there! Since they lied, I decided I'm not going to give them my hard earned money. But this most recent incident was just ridiculous. At one in the morning some street person asked me for bus fare. All he had to do is check their website to not get caught in a lie. Route 8 is the latest running bus route in the city of Tucson, and on Saturday it finishes its route at 9:30 pm.

You expect me to believe that you need bus fare when you missed the last bus by over 4 hours and somehow you didn't know it? Yea, the bus system in this town could definitely be improved, but obviously, you are a liar! How else could you be that clueless about the bus schedules? If you actually rode the bus you would have a rough idea of what the bus schedules were, and what times they run. Worse yet, after I clearly caught him in a lie, he had the audacity to then change his story to say "I need money toward cab fare." I am not going to help someone who lies to me. If you want money, at least have some honesty. Its people like this guy, who probably is begging for money to get alcohol or drugs, who are the reason why we are reluctant to help those on the street who truly need the help.

Whats just as bad is this one guy at Rincon Market. I see him there every time I visit, regardless of the day. He has been there every day at least since January. In the amount of time he spends begging, had he spent it looking for a job, he probably would be employed. For that matter, he doesn't even look all that desperate. I wouldn't be surprised if he worked somewhere like in Oro Valley, and comes out begging after he gets off work. The one time I went to Rincon Market during the week I got there around 4:30 and he wasn't there. When I left around 5, he was setting up. He's there so often now, he doesn't even bother asking the regulars for money. To them, he just waves and says hello. I know its a bad economy, but this guy isn't even trying to help himself. He is making a career out of begging.

Now I don't mind helping people when I can, but if you want my help, you have to at least have some integrity; I want to be able to believe I am actually helping someone who needs it, and not just funding a liar or a career beggar. 

Photo taken from wikipedia

Put a camera in a crowd, and people will pose

Last Saturday in Tucson was club crawl. This twice annual event draws thousands of local Tucsonans to Downtown Tucson and Forth Avenue. Since the city of Tucson is normally not quitethis busy, I decided to photograph the downtown area and the activity  that was present during this evening. To my surprise many people actually posed when they saw my camera. It goes to show: if you are taking pictures of a crowd, especially late at night, expect to be amazed at just how many people will pose for your camera, many times unexpectedly.

These people are random; I know none of them. I don't know if they were drunk or just wanted their picture taken in hopes that it would appea on the internet, but none the less when they saw my camera, they decided to make a quick pose for a photo.

In this photo, taken on the bridge above the 4th avenue underpass, these girls responded to my camera by making an immediate pose.

This guy was trying to dance for me, and hoped I could capture his dance moves. Unfortunately I only had a still camera.

Those are firecrackers being lit off in a parking space on Congress. Goes to show anything can and does happen in Downtown Tucson. I put these two together because the guys in the top picture were the ones lighting off the firecrackers, even though they weren't posing for this shot.

This was the line  to get into club crawl from congress street.

This women saw me taking a picture and insisted on getting her pose in.

Even a local street person got in on this one. This guys sign includes everything that possibly could be of relevance.

I don't know what the guy in the checkered shirt is doing.

Everyone was getting into it. Even the guy who brought his mom. Or at least I think its his mom.

I didn't even notice these ones until I reviewed my shots from the night. Some outfits they're wearing though.

This one, nobody is posing, but I just liked the way it came out. This one helped me on a class project.

The poster that the guy on the right is holding says "Don't say shit." I am going to follow that advice, and let the picture do the talking for me.

This woman's sign (though not visible in this picture) says "homeless. Please help." This is a prime example of why you can't believe everything you read. I mean does she look homeless to you? I tried to get her from the front side, but she was too fast, but she certianly didn't look hungry. Yea, its true that many homeless people look normal, but even so, I doubt she is actually desperate.

More posers. This one didn't come out as good as some of the other ones, but it still is an interesting pose.

Another pose. This one is pretty normal.

This was probably my favorite pose of the night.

These posers were all in a row, so they all were taken at the same location.

Looks like the homeless AZ veteran has moved to a new spot.



The last posers of the night. Hope you enjoyed the photography show.