U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) recently said a proposed plan to designate land in Pinal County as a historic place would result in the inability to use the site, known as Oak Flat, for copper mining and damage the state's economy.

Gosar voiced his displeasure in a letter to the director of the National Park Service and the keeper of the National Register of Historic Places

The proposed plan to designate the land as a historic place would result in the inability to mine that area. This, according to Gosar, would be detrimental to the individuals who depend on mining to make a living.

"“Despite repeated bipartisan demands for transparency and adequate public notice, there still appears to be a deceptive effort underway by anti-mining opponents and the Park Service to block the bipartisan Southeast Arizona Land Exchange that was signed into law in December of 2014." Gosar said, pointing out that the campground is not worthy of being called a historic place.

"Designating the land acquired by a private company through a bipartisan land exchange as a historic place could limit public access and undermine a copper mining project that is projected to create nearly 3,700 jobs and generate $60 billion for Arizona’s economy," Gosar's said.

"We will continue to fight this misguided listing effort at each and every turn," Gosar said.