Environmental Warriors Take Legal Action Against Arizona Officials Over Copper World Mine Access

A local environmental organization, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas (SSSR), has initiated legal action aimed at halting the Copper World mine’s proposal to construct waste pipelines through the state-owned Santa Rita Experimental Range. This reserved 52,000-acre area is managed by the University of Arizona and is crucial for ecological research.

Owned by Hudbay Inc., a Toronto-based mining company, Copper World has encountered significant opposition from environmental advocates. Critics assert that the proposed open-pit mine poses dire risks to both the Santa Rita Mountains and the adjacent Santa Cruz River. Conversely, supporters of the project highlight a potential $1.7 billion investment that could bolster Arizona’s economy by generating nearly $250 million in property taxes and creating over 400 direct jobs, with the possibility of 3,000 indirect jobs.

In April 2022, Copper World—previously known as Rosemont Copper—sought approval for a right-of-way across the experimental range for essential infrastructure, including access roads, a fresh-water pipeline, and waste pipelines. SSSR executive director Dr. Rob Peters argued that the Arizona State Land Department overstepped legal boundaries by granting this right-of-way for industrial purposes, violating state law and constitutional provisions.

A representative from Hudbay acknowledged awareness of the lawsuit and stated they were reviewing the filing. SSSR has been actively opposing mining developments in the Santa Rita Mountains for years, reinforcing their stance with a lawsuit aimed at blocking a pivotal easement granted earlier this year.

The Arizona State Land Department can authorize right-of-way access without auction for up to 50 years, led by a five-member board that appraises easement values. After applying for the right-of-way across state land, the board assessed its value at $64,089 for the needed infrastructure.

The company’s initial plan involved a route through Bureau of Land Management territory but later shifted to state-owned land. Following a ruling by a Maricopa County judge deeming a state meeting regarding the easement approval unlawful due to misleading notice and agenda, the valuation was declared null. The court ordered a new public meeting, after which the Board of Appeals rectified the issue and allowed Copper World to proceed.

On Tuesday, SSSR, in collaboration with Farmers Investment Co., a local pecan farming business, filed another lawsuit demanding an evaluation of the easement decision. SSSR characterized the state’s actions as a breach of trust concerning state trust lands, arguing that the range should only serve ecological research purposes.

The lawsuit further criticized state officials for a pattern of misconduct that obscured the truth regarding the right-of-way, labeling the board’s decision as arbitrary. The announcement included a request for attorney’s fees. Established in 1902, the Santa Rita Experimental Range is the longest-running rangeland research site in the United States and is considered a valuable biological field station.

In 1991, the state restricted the SRER from nearly all development activities, stating no applications for leases or rights-of-way would be accepted. SSSR criticized the Arizona State Land Department for circumventing these restrictions in 2017 and again in 2023, stating that they briefly opened the area to development before closing it again to facilitate the Copper World project.

Farmers Investment Co. expressed concerns that the state’s actions unlawfully treated the ecologically sensitive range as just another development site. “We will continue to pursue all legal options to stop this mining project,” Dr. Peters emphasized, citing potential harm to groundwater and air quality, in addition to extensive toxic waste management implications.