STOP HUDBAY, COPPERWORLD, ROSEMONT, SAVE THE SANTA RITAS

ROSEMONT HUDBAY AND THE SANTA RITAS

If you look at the river wash in the middle of this picture and follow it to where it bends to the left (west) what you’re seeing is the wash headed to the Santa Cruz River. That matters because since the wash becomes a feeder for a waterway during the monsoons, any construction that impacts its flow is governed by the U.S. Clean Water Act.

With the Clean Water Act impacts in mind, take another look at the photo and you’ll see in the foreground two large dump trucks working the soil. The one on the right is dumping its load onto the wash. The one on the left has a full truck bed of soil waiting its turn to continue blocking the stream. The work is being done on the west side of the Santa Ritas by Hudbay – the company that wants to build the Rosemont copper mine. The permit they’re working with is being challenged in court but despite that the work goes on pretty much daily. The court has not yet issued an injunction to stop it pending a full court decision.

The washes are called ‘ephemeral’ washes because they carry water only during monsoons. But they have in the past been covered by the Clean Water Act having been shown to be important to the overall health of the larger watercourse they feed. The Santa Cruz in this case. The overall project will have significant impact on both the eastern and western ridges of the Santa Rita mountain range.

This map shows where the proposed mine(s) will be located if approved. The red dots show where drone photos were taken.

The large black blob on the lower right hand side of the picture is the proposed Rosemont copper mine. On its immediate left edge is the ridgeline for the Santa Ritas – and the four smaller black blobs are where they want to dig mine operations on the western edge of the mountain. That’s where the current work is taking place – and is what you see in the photos.

The work is tearing up not only the stream system, but it’s already scarring the surrounding desert landscape. This drone photo shows clearly the impacts of even this very early work. If left alone to continue the work, the damage will not only be to the waterways, but to wildlife habitat as well.

The effort to stop the work is being led by three native American tribes and several environmental groups. Representative Grijalva chairs the House Natural Resources committee. They’ll also be taking a close look at what can be done to quickly stop the work. As these legal processes work their way through the system, Hudbay continues their work while opponents attempt to get a Temporary Restraining Order to halt the work. This is happening real time since once the damage is done, repairing the scar becomes problematic.

- From Steve Kozachik's May 9, 2022 newsletter More Information:

Clearing begins for big mine in Santa Rita Mtns.

https://arizonadailystar-az-app.newsmemory.com/?publink=0932c4bda_1348428

Hudbay intent on clearing acreage: Tries to duck suits by giving up permit

https://arizonadailystar-az-app.newsmemory.com/?publink=13c7d0a4e_134847d&fbclid=IwAR1zSyazHM-zZaZPIeu7v5WMk2_yjU4Ri5DsYZOp-eVJRYfDmsE4cvezFTg#.YnVW4VL4TpQ.facebook

What's Up with the Proposed Rosemont Mine?

https://www.sustainablelivingtucson.com/2018/10/find-out-whats-up-with-proposed.html