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Patagonia Area Resource Alliance urges county to prioritize water and biodiversity ahead of proposed Patagonia Mountains mining
Summary
Patagonia Area Resource Alliance told the Board that mining claims in the Patagonia Mountains and proposed operations by South32 raise water, air and biodiversity concerns; PARA reported ongoing monitoring, lawsuits and requests for federal oversight and said the draft Forest Service environmental impact statement is expected by May 10, 2025.
Carol Schaeffer, mission coordinator for the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA), presented an update to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 21 urging the county to prioritize water, species protection and community monitoring in the face of expanding mine claims in the Patagonia Mountains.
Schaeffer said the Patagonia Mountains area contains high biodiversity and that scientists identify the region as globally important because six biomes meet there. She told the board that the Santa Cruz Active Management Area (AMA) has “lost more than half of its groundwater,” and that there is no comprehensive groundwater study for the Patagonia Mountains’ rural areas. She said a University of Arizona graduate‑level study characterizes some mountain groundwater as…
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