S4E43: Saving the Santa Rita Mountains from Destructive Copper Mining

In this episode of the 90 Miles from Needles podcast, host Chris Clarke embarks on a detailed discussion with John Dougherty, Executive Director of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas Association, about the invasive copper mining initiatives threatening Arizona's sacred lands. Set against the backdrop of legal and environmental challenges, the conversation highlights the destructive potential of projects like the Copper World mine. With vibrant descriptions of Arizona's natural beauty juxtaposed with the stark reality of its exploitation for minerals, this episode paints an urgent call to action.

Dougherty describes the controversial Copper World project, an expansion of the thwarted Rosemont Mine, spotlighting its predicted impact on local wildlife, sacred sites, and critical water resources. He explains the looming threats posed by massive open-pit mining and groundwater depletion. The discussion underscores the inadequacies and exploitation enabled by the General Mining Act of 1872, which allows mining companies to extract resources with minimal compensation to the public. Through strategic litigation efforts and community activism, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas aims to address and potentially halt these harmful mining activities.

Key Takeaways:

• Save the Scenic Santa Ritas Association is actively opposing the Copper World mine to prevent environmental and cultural devastation in the Santa Rita Mountains.

• The Copper World project threatens sacred indigenous lands and critical water resources in Arizona, fostering ecological and community concerns.

• Arizona's legal framework, based on the General Mining Act of 1872, is scrutinized for its outdated policies favoring mining corporations without adequate environmental oversight or economic benefit to the community.

• The podcast underscores the importance of local and political action to combat environmental degradation and protect public lands from corporate exploitation.

• Dougherty advocates for grassroots support and encourages listeners to engage with local governance to enact restrictive policies on destructive mining activities.

Notable Quotes:

• "If space aliens arrived with an orbital death ray and erased a valley in just this fashion, the nations of the world would go to war."

• "The damage doesn't just stop when the mining stops, the damage continues on forever."

• "The Ray Mine isn't the largest open pit copper mine in the state, but...it was about as stark and unexpected as I had ever seen."

• "This copper is going overseas...the company admits in its financial filings that the first four or five years will all be exported."

Resources:

• Save the Scenic Santa Ritas Association: Website

• Contact Information for Arizona Government Officials: Reach out to Arizona's Governor Katie Hobbs at engage@az.gov  and State Attorney General Kris Mays (https://www.azag.gov/to advocate for changes in mining regulation policies to protect Arizona's lands.

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