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Residents, committee members urge stronger groundwater study and monitoring amid South 32 permitting concerns
Summary
Public commenters and a local water-monitoring volunteer asked the town to insist on independent, frequent monitoring and to include baseline and monitoring requirements in community-protection agreements involving mining company South 32.
Carolyn Schaeffer, a member of the town's Flood and Flow Committee, told the council that “water is life” and urged a comprehensive groundwater study and independent third-party monitoring to protect the town’s drinking supply as entities negotiate community protections with mining interests.
Schaeffer cited statewide drought data and said both baseline studies and ongoing monitoring should be written into any early-actions community investment or community benefits and protections agreements with the mining company South 32. “Both the comprehensive groundwater study and independent 3rd party water monitoring are critical protections that should be included,” she said.
Alex Johnson, a resident who has been attending county supervisor meetings, urged the town to scrutinize permit requests and resist using waivers as a substitute for accountability after he said South 32 had sought a permit waiver. He asked the council to place the issue on a future agenda so the town can review permit and monitoring decisions at the county level.
The council read the public-comment rules at the start of the meeting, citing ARS 38-431-01H and town code section 2-5-6; council members may direct staff to follow up or place items on a future agenda but may not take legal action on matters raised during an open call to the public.
