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Resident urges town to join conservation protections as Hermosa mine EIS comment period opens
Summary
Carolyn Schafer urged Patagonia officials to protect water and biodiversity, cited a draft EIS noting heavy‑metal discharge risks and asked the town to include local experts and conservation organizations in a community protections agreement ahead of a March EIS release.
Carolyn Schafer addressed the council during Call to the Public, urging the town to prioritize water and species protection in the face of the proposed Hermosa mine.
"Water is life and must be protected," Schafer said, noting that Patagonia sits in the Madrean Archipelago and quoting page 26 of an organizational draft environmental impact statement that flagged the potential for heavy‑metal discharges (antimony, arsenic, barium, selenium and uranium). She said local hydrologist Chris Gardner had identified elevated antimony in discharge and asked the town to include 16 named organizations and experts in discussions about a community protections and benefits agreement (CBA/C BPA).
Schafer told the council that the final EIS release date had been delayed from February 6 to March 6, which will open another public‑comment window for local organizations and residents. She asked that the town consult the expert list she provided and include subject‑matter experts in planning a meaningful protections agreement.
