Save the Scenic Santa Ritas

Fighting to protect the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains from the devastating impacts of mining.

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THE HOT TOPIC: WATER OR LACK THEREOF

January 24, 2023 By santaritas Leave a Comment

Finally, the fact that there is not an inexhaustible supply of water in Arizona is making the news.

In a recent (Jan 22, 2023) interview with Tony Davis in the Arizona Daily Star, former Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt pointed out: “There are still a significant number of groundwater users who have no replenishment obligations (meaning they aren’t required to replenish the aquifer with as much water as they pump from it) …” Babbit went on to point out that mining is one of those users.

He also talked about the creation of the Arizona Groundwater Management Act in 1980, which placed some limitations on water use in the urban areas of Phoenix, Tucson and Prescott. Unfortunately, there were no limitations on mining. SSSR’s longest serving board member, Dr. Morris Farr, was a state senator at the time and he sat on the committee that negotiated the Groundwater Management Act. He has reminded us many times, that, very unfortunately, the only way the Act could pass was to not affect mining. That is, mines could drill as deep as they wanted and pump as much as they wanted – and that remains true today. It is time for change! There is no longer enough water for mines to squander it washing rocks.

Tony Davis – Arizona Daily Star 1/21/23

Read article (subscription may be required)

Take a look at the two letters to the editor below. One addresses the amount of water Hudbay/Copper World would like to use; the other points out that that copper is not in short supply.

Letters to the Editor:

* Insufficient water by Gayle Hartmann

* Green energy needs copper by Guy Rovella

Filed Under: Rosemont, Rosemont in the News, Rosemont Mine, SSSR News Tagged With: Aquifer, Tony Davis, Water

Hudbay, Forest Service won’t appeal ruling blocking Rosemont Mine

December 19, 2022 By santaritas Leave a Comment

By Tony Davis, Dec 12, 2022 Updated Dec 15, 2022

Artist rendering of Rosemont pit and tailings

https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/hudbay-forest-service-wont-appeal-ruling-blocking-rosemont-mine/article_e2ed87b0-7669-11ed-8879-d700ff320425.html

Hudbay Minerals and the U.S. Forest Service won’t appeal a federal appeals court ruling blocking construction of the Rosemont Mine, ending a major legal case but not closing the controversy over the mine itself.

The mining company and the federal agency let pass a Nov. 22 legal deadline for appealing the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling from May 2022 without acting. Their inaction ceded the hard-fought battle to mine opponents, which include three tribes and four environmental and conservation groups. Those opponents filed suit in 2017 to stop mine construction, shortly after the Forest Service approved it.

The decision of Hudbay and the Forest Service not to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court means Hudbay can’t bury nearly 2 billion tons of mine waste rock and tailings on Coronado National Forest land. Hudbay has not, however, ruled out trying to find a legal path later to allow that.

Read article

Filed Under: News, Rosemont in the News, SSSR News Tagged With: 1872 Mining Law, Court ruling, Hudbay, In the News, Rosemont, Wildlife

“In my view: ‘See ya, Hudbay. You won.'” (Damon Bowen, Green Valley News letter to the editor)

September 16, 2022 By santaritas Leave a Comment

https://www.gvnews.com/obituaries/in-my-view-see-ya-hudbay-you-won/article_9f8b66ca-32f5-11ed-964c-87030628c61b.html

Note: Reading this letter to the editor may require a subscription to the Green Valley News. The letter has been reproduced below.

Hudbay continues to move earth on its private land, already affecting the quality of life for residents, as this letter shows. Hudbay has stated it seeks to continue buying private and state lands when it can.

I sold my property near the Copper World project. The work is moving ahead so fast I am a stranger, a guest on my own drive.

The reclamation pond of toxic liquid from Hudbay’s Copper World will be about 300 yards directly upslope from my five acres. 

Their lead U.S. attorney, myself and a neighbor who has been living up here for over 50 years have gone to lunch a few times. The attorney assured me the landscape is going to change.

That’s OK, I said. I’ll just plant arid-appropriate bamboo to the east and not look toward the Santa Rita Mountains in my backyard. Just gaze down to the valley across the state experimental grazing land, undeveloped.

But the construction. The peacefulness, solitude, deer and foxes and quail under my window are gone. The denning bobcat and kittens under one of my outbuildings didn’t return. The Gila monster under the woodshed never came out this year.

The reality is that my humble place — my own, no bank loan, having saved to make a cash purchase in an area I first laid eyes on years ago as an out-of-state student at the UofA from Oregon — the dream was achieved, as humble as the place was.

They put offices about 200 yards away. Voices and lights and trucks now, where it used to be silence and cicadas and a gentle wind through the grass. Good for the soul, the heart.

The place allowed me to feel alive. Balanced. Connected.

Before this, that is.

I don’t fault people who work for Hudbay. It’s our culture to grind up, to throw away. Convenient, even.

My goal of ownership was achieved with no debt on a working man’s worth, but it was meant to be where I would die, my final resting place.

They paid me above market value. But really, money can buy comforts, it cannot buy happiness.

The agreement included one year to move on.

I donated truckload after truckload to the White Elephant months ago. My material life is down to two duffel bags. I gave away my truck.

I returned to Oregon permanently to care for my dying father, whom I would never toss aside. And sticking around for my mom as she fades. No sense rebuilding a life when soon she will need care now that her husband of 65 years, my dad, is gone.

For my dad, I had formulated the most comprehensive cognition improvement formula available, no matter what big pharma ads tell you about their singular products. It noticeably helped him. The earthly story ends for all of us, no matter the intervention.

Such is life.

And a not-typical and adventurous one it continues to be. Most don’t believe me if I tell. Nothing fantastical, just widely varied, non-connected, decently traveled and in many cases dangerous and stupid. Forrest Gump.

The dryness of the desert landscape called me when I was in college.

With parched lips I tilt my head skyward, and open my mouth to catch a few drops of scattered, summer rain.

Who knows?

Adventure beckons.

Filed Under: News, Rosemont in the News, SSSR News

Appeals court refuses new hearing on block of Rosemont Copper Mine (Paul Ingram, Tucson Sentinel)

September 9, 2022 By santaritas Leave a Comment

https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/090922_rosemont_decision/appeals-court-refuses-new-hearing-block-rosemont-copper-mine/

Filed Under: Litigation, News, Rosemont in the News, Rosemont Mine, SSSR News

Copper World will destroy our beloved Santa Rita Mountains (Kim Mathews, Arizona Daily Star letter to the editor)

August 30, 2022 By santaritas Leave a Comment

Note: A subscription to the Arizona Daily Star may be required to read this letter. For your convenience, the letter is reproduced, below.

https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-copper-world-will-destroy-our-beloved-santa-rita-mountains-aug-28-opinion/article_27035a28-27a6-11ed-9e0a-bf9c785e55f3.html

I commend the Arizona Daily Star for its publication in recent years of many detailed articles informing readers about Hudbay Minerals’ destructive mining projects. I also thank you for running many letters and guest opinions opposing Hudbay, like today’s piece by Russ McSpadden of the Center for Biological Diversity, which moved me deeply.

I recall, though, that several years ago the Star published an editorial in favor of the Rosemont Mine. The reasoning went something like this: the mine can’t be stopped, so we might as well support it. Tribal and environmental groups have admirably refused to follow that lame advice and have continued their opposition. Hudbay is, after all, not a conglomeration of gods but just a greedy corporation that can be beaten if the determination is there.

My question: has the Star ever retracted its support for this outrage? If not, will you do so now?

Filed Under: News, Rosemont in the News, SSSR News

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Recent Posts

  • THE HOT TOPIC: WATER OR LACK THEREOF January 24, 2023
  • Hudbay ramps up excavation for Copper World Complex as local resistance continues and expands January 7, 2023
  • Meet The Man Who Shoots At Birds All Day To Keep Them Off A Toxic Pit | World Wide Waste (video) January 5, 2023
  • Lithium America Mine Project Hampered After Judge Schedules Hearing on Nevada Mine January 5, 2023
  • Thousands Will Live Here One Day (as Long as They Can Find Water) January 5, 2023
  • Latest Updates About Local Water Issues and Rosemont / Copper World Mine Complex January 5, 2023
  • Hudbay, Forest Service won’t appeal ruling blocking Rosemont Mine December 19, 2022
  • Letter: Proposed New Mines in Santa Ritas November 28, 2022
  • Wells are running dry in drought-weary Southwest as foreign-owned farms guzzle water to feed cattle overseas November 28, 2022
  • Annual pulses of copper-enriched sediment in a North American river downstream of a large lake following the catastrophic failure of a mine tailings storage facility November 28, 2022

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Rosemont/ Copper World Mine Complex News

THE HOT TOPIC: WATER OR LACK THEREOF

Hudbay ramps up excavation for Copper World Complex as local resistance continues and expands

Meet The Man Who Shoots At Birds All Day To Keep Them Off A Toxic Pit | World Wide Waste (video)

Lithium America Mine Project Hampered After Judge Schedules Hearing on Nevada Mine

More Posts from this Category

Copper World Flyover January 6, 2023 by David Steele

Another shocking sight of the incredible destruction happening on our beautiful Santa Ritas.WATCH VIDEO NOW

Russ McSpadden’s recent fly-over showing mine activity

In Nov 2022 Russ captured recent bulldozing in the Santa Rita Mountains. His video starts over the Rosemont mine project on the east side and then swings over the Copper World project on the west side. WATCH VIDEO NOW

Explore the proposed Rosemont and Copper World projects virtually

Check out Pima County’s updated map of the proposed mine site. Click on any spot on the map for ownership/status information. Mapping details are based on Hudbay’s PEA dated May 1.

Proposed Rosemont/ Copper World Mine Complex

Image compilation of the area

LENS ON THE LAND

October 2022 Powerpoint Presentation

Click here to download (PDF)

Litigation Update

There have been two recent judicial rulings on the Rosemont Copper Company projects — one favorable and one unfavorable.

Click here to learn more

The latest on Hudbay’s Copper World project in the Santa Rita Mountains

Click here to download (PDF)

Where is the Rosemont/Copper World Mine Complex?

Click here for directions

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