Official says Rosemont mine letter mistake

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says a letter backing up a Forest Service position that it couldn't legally turn down a proposed copper mine in southern Arizona should never have been mailed.

Vilsack wrote to U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on Friday that the Oct. 14 letter sent to the Green Valley Community Coordinating Council was done so by mistake.

Vilsack says the Forest Service is examining both the proposed mine and a ``no action'' alternative as part of its environmental review of the mine that would be located in the Santa Rita Mountains.

Vilsack tells Giffords that when he received the initial draft of the Oct. 14 letter, he was unsatisfied with it and asked that it be held up. But, the letter accidentally was sent anyway, and Vilsack says he takes ``full responsibility.''

The mistaken letter triggered surprise and disappointment among mine opponents and stirred some concern that it was pre-empting a planned visit to the site on Saturday by Jay Jensen, Vilsack's deputy undersecretary.