On December 3, 2012, the Queen Valley Golf Association passed a resolution opposing Rio Tinto’s diversion of 900,000 gallons 
of water a day from its normal course down Queen Creek to a pipeline carrying the water directly to the Phoenix area where it is diluted and dumped on agriculture fields in return for water credits going to Rio Tinto that could be used should Rio Tinto develop a proposed mine at Oak Flat. This diversion has left Queen Valley, a small retirement community centered around it’s golf course, with water shortages.See the Queen Valley Golf Association’s letter here.
On January 11, 2013, the Queen Valley Homeowners Association passed a similar resolution opposing the water diversion and also opposing RIo Tinto’s plans to place a mountain of tailings at Florence Junction. A tailings pile at Florence Junction would seriously impact the community, only 4 miles away. See the Queen Valley Homeowners Association letter here.