Pinto Valley Mine Blasting Closure

Associated Documents

Forest Order

PROHIBITIONS

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) and (b) the following are prohibited on the National Forest System (NFS) lands and roads in the Globe Ranger District, Tonto National Forest, described below and shown on the attached map incorporated into this Order as Exhibit A (the “Described Area/Roads”): 

1. Going into or being upon the Described Area. 36 CFR § 261.53(e)
2. Being on the Described Roads. 36 CFR § 261.54(e)

EXEMPTIONS 

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order: 

1. Pinto Valley Mining Corp. (PVMC), FMI/Bohme Ranch employees, contractors and subcontractors during the performance of their official duties subject to the approval of the Pinto Valley Mine blasting coordinator.
2. Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order), specifically exempting them from this Order or a written determination by a Forest Service authorized officer that a permit is not required under 36 C.F.R. § 251.50(e)(1) or (2).
3. Any Federal, State, or Local Officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting resource in the performance of an official duty. 

DESCRIBED AREA/ROADS 

As shown in Exhibit A, the Described Area is within Township 1 North, Range 14 East, Sections 20, 21, and PB 60-PB63 and consists approximately of a 1500-foot arc from the blasting site which extends onto NFS lands from the eastern edge of Pinto Valley Mine’s open pit located on private land. The Described Area includes all NFS lands starting at coordinates 33° 25.268’ N / -110° 26.983’ W, then following southeast for 0.65 miles to coordinates 33° 24.953’ N / -110° 56.450’ W, then following south for 0.75 miles to coordinates 33° 24.312 N / -110° 56.455 W at the intersection with Motorized Trail (MT) 608, then following MT-608 southwest to the intersection with NFS Road (NFSR) 287 B and NFSR 608, then following NFSR 608 southwest to its intersection with NFSR 2599, then following NFSR 2599 northwest to its intersection with the Pinto Valley Mine private land boundary, then following the private land boundary in a general northeast/north direction back to the point of beginning at coordinates 33° 25.268’ N / 

-110° 26.983’ W.

PURPOSE 

The purpose of this Order is to protect public health and safety during blasting operations at the PVMC open pit mine on private land adjacent to the Described Area. 

IMPLEMENTATION

1. This Order shall be in effect from January 13, 2025, at 6 a.m. through January 13, 2026, unless rescinded.
2. A map identifying the Described Area/Roads is attached and made part of this Order as Exhibit A. For a digital version of this Order and Exhibit A, go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/tonto/alerts.
3. Unless otherwise expressly defined in this Order, the terms used in this Order are defined by the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture, 36 C.F.R. Chapter II, Parts 200-299. If there are terms in this Order that are not expressly defined in the Order or 36 C.F.R. Chapter II, Parts 200-299, their meaning shall be determined by their plain language definitions.
4. A violation of the above prohibitions is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 16 U.S.C. § 551; 18 U.S.C. §§ 3559, 3571, and 3581.
5. Contact the Globe Ranger District in Globe AZ, (928) 402-6200, and Tonto National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Phoenix, AZ, (602) 225-5200, for more information about this Order.
6. This Order supersedes any previous Orders prohibiting the same or similar acts in and on the same Described Area/Roads. 

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