Residents urge council to oppose Copper World mining project over water and environmental concerns

Several residents urged the Town Council to oppose the proposed Copper World mining project and raised specific concerns about groundwater use, air and water pollution and long‑term environmental impacts.

Rick Corrado told the council he and others are concerned the mine would drain the regional aquifer and release toxic metals. He cited figures presented elsewhere — 5,306 acre‑feet per year for one withdrawal (about 1.73 billion gallons) and a Hudbay Minerals proposal estimating 6,000 to 13,000 acre‑feet per year — and asked how long the aquifer would sustain those withdrawals. Corrado said he had submitted letters to state and federal elected officials and to the county and noted the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 against the project; he urged council members to use their influence with higher authorities to press for protections.

Former teacher and longtime outdoors volunteer Dave DeGroot said he participated in recent biological surveys and cited University of Arizona monitoring that showed increasing concentrations of toxic metals in Barrow Canyon. DeGroot urged the town to support an independent, long‑term monitoring plan for potential toxin migration through the watershed and suggested contingency triggers to halt activity if monitoring showed danger signals.

Council members listened and acknowledged limits on local jurisdiction over state and federal mining decisions, but some members noted the council’s ability to provide information and raise issues with county, state and federal decision makers and asked staff to track related materials and inquiries. The speakers provided written materials to the clerk and said they expect the town to include their concerns in communications with other agencies.