Letter in support of H.R. 1904, the "Southeast Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011"
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region, supports H.R. 1904, the “Southeast Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011.” H.R. 1904 would strike the proper balance between environmental stewardship and economic growth, providing the federal government with 5,344 acres of high-value conservation lands in exchange for 2,422 acres of land containing the third-largest undeveloped copper resource in the world.
Copper is one of the fundamental building blocks of the economy, and is used in large quantities in a wide range of industries and applications, including telecommunications, construction, electricity, automobile manufacturing, renewable energy, plumbing and household goods. According to industry estimates, a new automobile uses 55 pounds of copper, an average single-family home uses 439 pounds of copper, and a new wind turbine requires over five tons of copper.
The parcel of land conveyed by H.R. 1904 is largest copper deposit in North America, one that could produce over 20 percent of the annual U.S. demand for copper. And it will create long-term, high-paying jobs in a state that unquestionably needs them. The project’s investment of over $6 billion in private-sector dollars will create 3,700 direct and indirect jobs, $220 million in annual wages, a $61 billion economic jolt for the state of Arizona and $19 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues.
All that is standing in the way of these economic benefits is a land exchange, one that would more than double the size of the area being conserved. The Chamber calls on all Members to support H.R. 1904 and unlock the potential for new jobs in Arizona.
Sincerely,
R. Bruce Josten
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