Ninth Circuit rejects rehearing petitions in Resolution Copper land exchange cases

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Tuesday rejected all petitions for rehearing in cases challenging a land exchange that is necessary for the Resolution Copper project in Arizona, the Justice Department said in a press release.

The order leaves in place the March 13 decision by the court's panel, which allowed the federal government to proceed with a congressionally mandated land exchange, the department said. It described the exchange as crucial to advancing development of one of the largest known copper deposits in the world.

"The exchange has resulted in federal ownership of more than 5,400 acres of ecologically and culturally significant land in Arizona," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the department's Energy and Natural Resource Division (ENRD). Deputy Assistant Attorney General Robert Stander of ENRD argued the appeal, the department said.