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Freeport McMoRan seeks manufacturing zoning for rail transloading near Arizona Eastern Railroad; panel questions truck traffic
Summary
Freeport McMoRan presented a request to rezone three parcels adjacent to the Arizona Eastern Railroad from general land use to manufacturing to allow a modest sulfuric-acid transloading operation with mobile units and a rail siding; Freeport said the facility would operate mainly day shifts and handle about 40 trucks per weekday, and panel members asked about routing and final destinations.
Freeport McMoRan representatives presented a rezoning request to allow a modest rail siding and sulfuric-acid transloading operation on three parcels adjacent to the Arizona Eastern Railroad.
Sean Wenham, who identified himself as a Freeport McMoRan employee at the Safford mine, said the company seeks to rezone the parcels from agricultural/general land use to manufacturing to permit a transloading area where mobile equipment will transfer sulfuric acid from railcars to trucks for transport to the Safford mine. Wenham and accompanying consultants described the design as modest—mobile transload units on trailers, a small office, and a paved non-porous surface between the rail siding and driveway to allow cleanup in the event of spillage.
Project manager Jose Brown said the planned operation would run mostly on day shifts and that Freeport expects approximately 40 trucks per weekday. Freeport representatives said they are coordinating with the Arizona Department of Transportation on highway improvements near the entrance—adding lanes for acceleration and a left-turn lane—to improve truck access and safety.
Panel members questioned project logistics, including whether the trucks would deliver to the Safford mine; Freeport confirmed that the trucks would serve the Safford mine and said the transload equipment would be mobile and moved as needed. No motion or vote on the rezoning was recorded in the transcript during this meeting.
The presentation included parcel APNs (10921004, 10921005 and 10920011), a conceptual rail siding, two or three mobile transload units, and traffic mitigation coordination with ADOT. Panel members requested additional detail on routing and operational controls; next steps or hearing dates were not specified in the transcript.
