Victory for the Santa Rita Mountains!

This morning, the 9th circuit court upheld Judge Soto’s ruling that the US Forest Service was wrong in approving the Rosemont mine.

“Today’s ruling affirmed both natural and US law,” said Roger Featherstone, director of the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition. For too long, mining companies like Hudbay have violated both our country’s mining laws and the laws of nature, and for too long federal agencies like the US Forest Service have rubber-stamped those transgressions. Today’s court decision ends that trend and allows precious water and air to remain pure and abundant and plants and animals to thrive.”

We filed suit along with Save the Scenic Santa Rita’s, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Sierra Club.

A similar lawsuit was filed by the Tohono O’odham Nation, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and the Hopi Tribe.  The lawsuits were consolidated so today’s rulings is on both cases.