The Patagonia mountains near the town of Patagonia on the Arizona – Mexico border are facing an onslaught of proposed mining activities that would profoundly and irreparably damage one of our nation’s biodiversity hotspots.
The mining activity is being forced by several foreign mining companies that are trying to “strike it rich” and don’t care about the local residents and their lifestyle based on sustainable recreation and the water rich mountain ecosystem that sustains an amazing amount of biodiversity.
Our member organization, the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) is leading the charge to stop this damaging activity.
We need your help to comment on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s (ADEQ) intent to give South32 an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (AZPDES). The comment deadline is April 7, 2021.
The company, South32, an Australian mining company, plans to discharge 6.48 million gallons of water per day which is a lot of water that will have a significant impact on groundwater and on the surface where that much water is released — even when treated to (inadequate) state standards!
Please take action on this plan that would permanently damage the Patagonia mountains.
To learn more:
Read the ADEQ proposed permit documents
Read the ADEQ proposed permit documents
Send comments to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to protect the Patagonia Mountains.
We need your help!