Rosemont mine not a sure thing, county supervisor Carroll says

Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll held out hope Thursday that a copper mine won’t be built in the Santa Rita Mountains east of Green Valley.

Carroll told the Green Valley Community Coordinating Council’s board of representatives that it’s not certain “that the mine will happen.”

In other action, the board also approved spending $5,000 to establish two 501(c)3, tax free corporations—Green Valley Tomorrow and MedianGreen.

Supervisor Carroll told the GVCCC representatives “that many people believe the mine is fait accompli, (a done deal) but it’s not.”

Augusta Resource Corp., plans to build an open-pit copper mine at Rosemont on the east side of the Santa Ritas, near state scenic highway No. 83.

It would be built on private land, but much of the material dug for the hole would wind up on U.S. Forest Service land, an acceptable use under 19th century federal mining laws.

He said people speak of the project as a mile-wide open pit mine, but he said it’s not. “It’s a demolition project.”

Carroll said a mine would have long-term consequences for area residents, “long after they’re gone.”

Carroll has been trying to learn more about a proposed agreement between Augusta and Green Valley’s Community Water Co. for the construction of a pipeline from Pima Mine Road to deliver the water company’s Central Arizona Project water.

Community Water so far has declined to release the details.

Carroll said the Arizona Corporation Commission is expected to come to Green Valley to hold a fact-finding meeting about the pipeline.

Executive board member Susanne Blodgett organized MedianGreen more than a year ago to try to beautify the medians in Green Valley’s main business areas.

She said the Pima County Department of Transportation is suffering from a budget crunch and no longer has enough money for medians. Blodgett said the county has agreed to install large cisterns on the medians to be filled periodically by water trucks.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749