A Canadian junior mining company is attempting to develop another mining project in the Patagonia Mountains in Southern Arizona.  This project has a long and sordid past and adds to the mining pressure the Patagonia Mountains are facing.

The deadline for you to tell the Coronado National Forest to take a much closer look at this project is October 21, 2109.

The Patagonia Mountains are one of the most biologically diverse mountain ranges in the Sky Islands, itself one of the areas of greatest biodiversity in the U.S.  The Patagonias contain existing and potential habitat for among others, the federally threatened Mexican spotted owl and western yellow-billed cuckoo, and provides important habitat for the endangered jaguar and ocelot, including designated jaguar critical habitat.

This project would create significant damage to this fragile ecosystem.

Please go to our action page to send your comment now.

The Sunnyside Project is now being developed by Barksdale Capital  which is a base metal exploration Canadian company.  The Sunnyside unpatented claims are filed under “Regal Resources” and in 2011 and 2013 Regal Resources filed two Plans of Operations.  The 2011 Plan of Operations was withdrawn.  The 2013 Plan of Operations failed as a result of a lawsuit brought by Defenders of Wildlife and PARA.

The Sunnyside project is about 5,000 acres of unpatented claims on Forest Service public lands.  The Plan of Operations asks to drill 30 exploratory holes over a seven year period.  Now the Public has 45 days to comment (deadline is October 21).  There will be massive road disturbance (multiple roads upgraded to a width of 18′).  All of this is occurring in critical Jaguar habitat, Mexican Spotted Owl protected area, Yellow Billed Cuckoo territory, and will disturb many more species.  A significant factor is cumulative impacts of all mining activity in this region.  And WATER MATTERS MORE than corporate profits.  The official Forest Service announcement can be viewed here.