In southern Arizona’s desert environment, water is essential to future economic prosperity and quality of life. The proposed Rosemont project indisputably threatens both the quantity and quality of water resources in southern Arizona, and thus our economy.
In just one example of the potential threats, a news article yesterday reported that the EPA weighed in strongly on the proposed Section 404 permit concerning Rosemont’s potential destruction of almost 102 acres of critical water resources in southern Arizona. In a letter sent to the Army Corps of Engineers (copy can be downloaded here), the EPA said that Rosemont has not “demonstrated” that it will be able to comply with watershed protection guidelines for “Davidson Canyon and Cienega creek, both designated as ‘Outstanding Waters’ by the state of Arizona.”
As a result, the EPA, in this letter, suggests that this permit be reviewed at the Washington Headquarters for both the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA.
Clearly, this is another blow to Rosemont and its PR efforts trying to convince southern Arizonans and potential lenders that the destruction of one of the mountain ranges that make our region a great place to live and work is inevitable.
THE ROSEMONT PROJECT , IF IT WERE TO GO AHEAD , WOULD PRODUCE A LEGACY OF WATER ISSUES THAT WOULD GO ON FAR BEYOND THE PROPOSED 23-YEAR MINE LIFE . ROSEMONT’S CONSUMPTION OF SCARCE WATER FROM A DESERT ENVIRONMENT WILL AFFECT THE LIVELIHOODS OF ALL THOSE WHO DEPEND ON PRECIOUS GROUNDWATER FOR SURVIVAL . THE TAILINGS FROM THE MINING OPERATION HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE A COCKTAIL OF TOXIC WASTE WATERS CONTAINING A VARIETY OF CONTAMINANTS INCLUDING ARSENIC , SELENIUM , CESIUM , LEAD , ETC . THESE WILL BE CHELATED IN PLANTS AND VEGETATION THAT DRAW THEIR NUTRIENTS FROM THE CONTAMINATED SOIL THAT RESULTS FROM MINING ACTIVITY . CATTLE THAT GRAZE ON SUCH PLANTS WILL BE DULY AFFECTED AND THE MEAT THEY PRODUCE WILL POSE SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS . THE TRACE ELEMENT CHEMISTRY OF THE ROSEMONT COPPER DEPOSIT HAS NOT BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED AND POSES A SERIOUS THREAT
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