Southern Arizona’s Mountain Empire: Sanctuary for Rare and Unusual Species

Southern Arizona’s Mountain Empire: Sanctuary for Rare and Unusual Species

Imagine a little-known national treasure — a largely wild land home to ocelots, exotic and imperiled birds like elegant trogons and Mexican spotted owls, imperiled reptiles and amphibians like the threatened Chiricuahua leopard frog, and El Jefe, the only jaguar currently living in the United States. This is the Mountain Empire of southern Arizona, a place as special as Yosemite or Yellowstone, and worthy of international recognition. Extending across the border into northern Sonora, Mexico, this region is bounded by mountains that rise from the flat desert floor to touch the sky. With one of the richest concentrations of biodiversity in the U.S., the Mountain Empire is a sanctuary for imperiled species. But even a sanctuary can be threatened.

Mountain Empire Map

Mountain Empire, © Thunderforest

Refuges in the Sky

One reason the Mountain Empire has so many rare and unique species is the rugged sky island mountain ranges. Each range, like the iconic Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson, stands alone surrounded by desert flatlands like an island in the sea, with mountains so tall that they span climate zones from hot, dry desert to moist forests at higher altitudes. Together, these characteristics give the mountains their nicknames of “sky islands.” For many species, the sky islands are refuges where human impacts have been relatively small. Streams rise from the rocks, nurturing rare fish, frogs, snakes, and nesting habitat for birds like threatened yellow-billed cuckoos, southwestern willow fly catchers and hummingbirds.

Western yellow billed cuckoo

Western yellow-billed cuckoo, © Creed Clayton/USFWS

There are so many hummingbird species in the Mountain Empire that the Tucson Audubon Society founded the Paton Hummingbird Center, dedicated to conserving hummingbirds and other local biodiversity.

Birders visit from countries around the world for the chance to see so many species in one place. One of Defenders’ board members, Dr. Ron Pulliam, works with the Mountain Empire group Borderlands Restoration to restore the plants that hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and moths need along Harshaw and Sonoita Creeks in the Patagonia Mountains. The globally imperiled Patagonia eyed silk moth, once widespread in native grasslands, is now making its last U.S. stand in the Patagonia Mountains. The threatened southwestern willow flycatcher, once common near Tucson in now-vanished gallery forest along the Santa Cruz River, is today found higher up in riparian vegetation along still-flowing mountain streams.

One of the gems of the Mountain Empire is the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area: 45,000 acres of rolling grasslands, oak-studded hills, along with the Cienegas Creek wetlands. This is home to the world’s largest population of endangered Gila topminnow and other federally threatened and endangered fish, frogs and snakes. Las Cienegas provides a vital corridor of protected lands that connects the Santa Rita and Whetstone sky islands.

The most revered animal in the Mountain Empire is El Jefe, a powerful male jaguar. Video of him prowling along a stream in the Santa Rita Mountains recently went viral, with at least 20 million viewers. He and other jaguars and ocelots most likely came north to the U.S. from Sonora, Mexico in the past decade, travelling along sky island mountain corridors with little human activity.

jaguar

Jaguar, © Barry Draper

Threats to the Empire

Sadly, as much healthy habitat as there is in this region, there’s also a problem: Industrial mining. The Mountain Empire is riddled with old abandoned mines and grandiose plans for new ones. As you can imagine, mining has a massive impact on an ecosystem, from the land itself, to the noise that can scare wildlife away, to the traffic that would come in and out of the mining project. And perhaps most importantly, there’s the water.

Throughout the Southwest, so much groundwater has been pumped for agriculture, industry, and towns and cities that water tables have dropped and streams and ponds have dried up, desiccating wildlife habitat in a land already parched. This is why so many water-dependent species have vanished, or are threatened or endangered. In Arizona, 20 of 35 surviving native fish species are endangered and one is already extinct. Mining presents yet another threat to the water supply, using up billions of gallons of groundwater over the course of years, and often contaminating it with pollutants.

santa-rita-mts

Santa Rita Mts, © Larry Jones/USFS

The diversity of the “sacred” Santa Rita Mountains in the Coronado National Forest is threatened by mining interests.

The giant open-pit Rosemont Mine is planned for the Mountain Empire’s Santa Rita Mountains, where it would destroy habitat that is home to El Jefe and endangered ocelots. It would also decrease the water for the topminnow and other species in the Las Cienegas wetlands.

Two other mines are planned for the Patagonia Mountains in the center of the Mountain Empire. A Canadian company (ironically called Arizona Mining) is planning the Hermosa mine, which means beautiful in Spanish. There is nothing beautiful about this proposed silver mine: If done by the most economical open-pit method, it would gash a huge 4,000 foot wide hole in the mountains and dump the waste rock on the ground. A recent study by Earthworks and the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance estimated that an open-pit mine here would take as much as 1.2 billion gallons of water per year from nearby streams and wells, harming wildlife as well as the local economy, which is based largely on ranching and tourism. Exploratory drilling (to prove the minerals are worth mining) is already taking place right next to Harshaw Creek, up against the protected activity center for a pair of threatened Mexican spotted owls and habitat for threatened yellow-billed cuckoos.

Thankfully, none of these projects are going unchallenged. Defenders and the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) are currently reviewing and preparing formal federal comments on a proposal by Arizona Mining to expand exploratory drilling onto Forest Service land. Last year, Defenders and PARA also joined in a lawsuit that overturned the Forest Service’s illegal approval of plans by another mining company, Regal Resources, to drill exploration cores along Harshaw Creek.

The Mountain Empire is an irreplaceable landscape in the Southwest. Defenders will keep working with local activists to monitor toxic spills and stop illegal mining that would harm the jaguars, ocelots, and other rare species that make it their home.

rob-peters-staff-profile-125x123Rob Peters, Senior Representative, Southwest Office
As a jack-of-all trades in the Tucson Office, Rob collaborates with the Defenders Renewable Energy Group, helping evaluate and influence renewable energy policies and projects to ensure that renewable energy is developed wisely, with minimum harm to natural ecosystems. He also works on jaguar issues, helping plan for the eventual return of a viable population in the U.S., and he is the lead on Defenders efforts to safeguard Arizona’s Mountain Empire, a Defenders’ priority area surrounding the town of Patagonia. This area contains some of the last best native grasslands in the Southwest, along with important habitat for jaguar, Mexican spotted owl, and other endangered species.

USFS Community Update: Lead Queen Abandoned Mine Cleanup

USFS Community Update: Lead Queen Abandoned Mine Cleanup

USFSUnited States Department of Agriculture Forest Service – Southwestern Region Coronado National Forest Arizona

 

Environmental Cleanup Actions

The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service begins this month an environmental cleanup of the Lead Queen Abandoned Mine (Site) situated within the Harshaw Creek watershed. The Site is located approximately six miles south of Patagonia, Arizona, within the Sierra Vista Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest and is only accessed by 4×4 or high clearance vehicles.

The objective of this cleanup is to reduce or eliminate the downstream movement of waste rock containing elevated concentrations of arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals, as well as acid mine drainage to Harshaw Creek.

Lead Queen adit

Lead Queen Adit

Past mining activities left behind abandoned horizontal openings (adits) and vertical openings (shafts), and littered the landscape with waste rock material.

The Forest Service hired an environmental firm to perform the cleanup and work should be completed by mid-February 2016. Environmental Cost Management, Inc (ECM) from California was hired for the amount of $361,689.58 of taxpayers’ money to clean up the abandoned mine site on public land.

Lead Queen Waste Rock

Lead Queen waste rock

The cleanup involves construction activities using heavy equipment to consolidate waste rock into a single underground contained area, cap the waste rock with native soil, and seal 4 of 6 mine openings such as adits and shafts. Polyurethane Foam (PUF) will be used to seal two adits and two shafts. The final PUF face will be covered with clean local soil and rock to prevent UV light degradation of the foam. The other two mine openings will be closed using bat-friendly gates.

In some areas of the Site, adits and shafts serve as conduits carrying large amounts of tunnel water which potentially cause floods in the downstream channels. Storm runoff carries concentrations of heavy metals stored in these adits and shafts on the surface.

 

Scope of Work

Lead Queen drainage

Lead Queen toxic, heavy metal drainage

The Site Cleanup will consist of excavating waste rock, hauling and placing waste rock material in a consolidation area, constructing a series of gabion walls, improving existing road for equipment access, constructing temporary access roads to mines, closing mine features, installing bat- friendly gates, and seeding and mulching of all disturbed areas.

A series of gabion walls will mitigate the transport of aluminum precipitate and red-orange sludge and sediment downstream of the Site and into the lower reaches of the Harshaw Creek watershed. These gabion walls will be installed in the drainage bottom at various locations downstream of the Site.

 

CERCLA Time Critical Action Removal Action

Sampling at Lead Queen mine

Sampling at Lead Queen mine site

The Forest Service is exercising its authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA; 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) to conduct the cleanup activities at the Site. The Time Critical Removal Action Approval Memorandum documents and explains the commencement of a CERCLA Removal Action at the Site. The Forest Service’s role is to protect the public health and welfare and the environment and to respond to a hazardous substance release on lands under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service, pursuant to the authority found in 42 U.S.C. 9604(a), Executive Order 12580, and 7 C.F.R. 2.60(a)(39).

 

Public Information

For additional information about the cleanup, please contact:
Eli Curiel Jr., P.E.,
Project On-Scene Coordinator
USDA Forest Service
Coronado National Forest
300 West Congress Street Tucson, AZ 85701
(520) 388-8413
Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM


 

Related links:

Forest Service Outlines Clean Up Plans for Abandoned Lead Queen Mine https://www.patagoniaalliance.org/forest-service-outlines-clean-up-plans-for-abandoned-lead-queen-mine/

Video: Leaking Historic Patagonia, Arizona Mines https://youtu.be/uEgaFhT5RXw

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Conservation Wins in Court over Exploratory Drilling in Arizona’s Mountain Empire

Conservation Wins in Court over Exploratory Drilling in Arizona’s Mountain Empire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Courtney Sexton, csexton@defenders.org, 202-772-0253

Wendy Russell, wendy@patagoniaalliance.org, 520-477-2308

Federal court flips the off switch on Forest Service’s approval of “Sunnyside” project in Coronado National Forest

Tucson, Ariz. —A district court in Arizona put the brakes on an environmentally destructive exploratory drilling project in the Coronado National Forest near Patagonia, Arizona, saying the Forest Service failed to conduct the appropriate environmental review before fast-tracking the approval of the “Sunnyside” project. In October 2014 conservation groups Defenders of Wildlife and the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) filed a lawsuit claiming the Forest Service’s approval violated environmental laws and posed a threat to endangered species in the area.

 

Statement from Rob Peters, Defenders of Wildlife:

Pictured: Ocelot by Steve Harris

Pictured: Ocelot by Steve Harris

“This is a great victory for the many species of imperiled wildlife that call the Coronado National Forest and the Mountain Empire region home, especially the jaguar, Mexican spotted owl, ocelot and yellow-billed cuckoo, all of which are already at risk from multiple projects in the region.

“The court’s ruling against this destructive mining operation is the best thing that could have happened for the residents of Patagonia and for the incredible and diverse wildlife in the area.”

 

Statement from Wendy Russell, Patagonia Area Resource Alliance:

We’re not going to stand by and let the Forest Service rubber-stamp these mining projects in the Patagonia Mountains. There’s too much at stake for both our community and wildlife. This is the second time we’ve had to take them to court, and the second time we’ve won.

Defenders and PARA were assisted in the case by Roger Flynn, an attorney with the Western Mining Action Project. Flynn noted the importance of local residents’ right to participate in the Forest Service’s review of mineral projects on public land – residents were excluded from this process in the fast-tracking of the approval, a violation of federal law.

 

Background:

The Canadian mining company Regal Resources’ Sunnyside Project (an exploratory mining operation) involves drilling six exploratory holes for copper deposits up to 6,500 feet deep roughly five miles from the town of Patagonia, Arizona. The Forest Service issued a “categorical exclusion” decision which essentially fast-tracked the mineral drilling exploration and approved the project without involving the public or taking a hard look at the project’s impacts to endangered species. The decision authorized Regal Resources to run its drill rigs for at least five months in sensitive endangered species’ habitat. Loud mineral drilling operations and construction would occur 24 hours a day, seven days a week (using artificial lighting at night) with total project operations and reclamation lasting up to three years.

In January of this year, the Forest Service temporarily withdrew approval for the Sunnyside project until it completed consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine whether the project would significantly affect the western yellow-billed cuckoo, which is listed as a federally threatened species. After completing the consultation and concluding that there would be no significant effects, the Forest Service re-issued its approval for drilling to proceed in April, 2015.

 

###

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org and follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews.

The Patagonia Area Resource Alliance is a citizen watchdog organization that monitors the activities of mining companies, as well as ensures government agencies’ due diligence, to make sure their actions have long-term, sustainable benefits to our public lands, our water, and the town of Patagonia. For more information visit www.patagoniaalliance.org and follow us on Twitter @PARAalliance.

Forest Service Authorizes Urgent Clean Up of Abandoned Lead Queen Mine In Patagonia Mountains, Arizona

Forest Service Authorizes Urgent Clean Up of Abandoned Lead Queen Mine In Patagonia Mountains, Arizona

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Regional Forester Issues Time Critical Removal Action Approval Memo

Patagonia, Arizona – Yesterday, the Southwestern Regional Office of the US Forest Service issued an Action Memo for “Time Critical” clean up of the abandoned Lead Queen mine in the Patagonia Mountains on the Coronado National Forest, approximately 6 miles south of the town of Patagonia, Arizona.

Members of the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) discovered the abandoned mine over-flowing with toxic, orange sludge into a tributary of Harshaw Creek, last September. PARA documented the spill and notified authorities. The Harshaw Creek tributary eventually flows into the Town of Patagonia, Sonoita Creek and Patagonia Lake.

As the land owners of the Lead Queen mine, the Forest Service was issued two Notice of Violations from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality: “Addition of a pollutant to navigable waters from a point source without a permit,” and “Discharge of storm water associated with an industrial activity without a permit.”

Lead Queen spill 2014Test results showed off-the-chart concentrations of lead and arsenic in water, soil and waste rock samples at the Lead Queen site. High concentrations of zinc, copper and aluminum were also found. All of these heavy metals are listed as “hazardous substances” and can cause serious – or even deadly – health issues. The red-orange color of the sludge was due to extreme concentrations of iron.

The USFS document stated the clean up aims to reduce potential exposure of the hazardous heavy metals to “human populations, animals or the food chain.”

“This is a good start, but I’ve seen many more abandoned mines in the Patagonia Mountains that also need to be cleaned up. The mining industry has a well-earned reputation for just walking away from mines when they’re done.” Gooch Goodwin, native Patagonian and PARA board member.

jaguar photo by Nathan RupertThe Forest Service document also acknowledges that the “Patagonia Mountains have high levels of biodiversity and are home to a variety of species protected under the Endangered Species Act including jaguar, ocelot, lesser long-nosed bat, Mexican spotted owl, western yellow-billed cuckoo, Sonora tiger salamander, and the northern Mexican gartersnake.”

It additionally states, “the area is best-known and most popular places for birding in the U.S. Bird enthusiast who come from all over the world to catch a glimpse of more than 300 species of birds, including many Neotropical species that migrate, nest, and live in this unique habitat.”

Clean up of the five acre site is expected to start Spring 2015 and be completed before the coming monsoon season to avoid erosion and flushing of heavy metals further downstream.

lead queen mine location

USFS map of Lead Queen mine location

Read USFS Lead Queen Mine Removal Action Memorandum

For further information regarding the USFS Removal Action Memorandum, please contact Eli Curiel, P.E., On-Scene Coordinator, at 520-388-8413; or Maria McGaha, P.E., Regional Environmental Engineer, at 505-842-3837.

 

###

The Patagonia Area Resource Alliance is a citizen watchdog organization that monitors the activities of mining companies, as well as ensures government agencies’ due diligence, to make sure their actions have long-term, sustainable benefits to our public lands, our water, and the town of Patagonia. For more information visit www.patagoniaalliance.org and follow us on Twitter @PARAalliance.

PARA’s 2014 Activities and Accomplishments

PARA’s 2014 Activities and Accomplishments

It’s hard to believe that the end of the year is nearly upon us! When 2014 began, your friends, neighbors and colleagues here at the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) were gearing up for a busy year promoting the incredible beauty, community, and natural heritage of the Town of Patagonia and the Patagonia Mountains. Little did we know what a whirlwind year it would be! The past eleven months have seemingly sped by while we have been advocating to protect this amazing place that we all treasure from the multiple threats that exploratory drilling and mining pose to our small community.

PARA was formed in 2011 to educate and engage the community about the risks and realities of mining, to promote local sustainable economies, to better understand our precious and imperiled natural resources such as clean water and wildlife, and to actively advocate for the protection of those resources in concert with Patagonia’s distinct and serene rural way of life.

You have helped us along the way this year! You have volunteered, come to public meetings, wrote letters, monitored wildlife, and participated in the NEPA process. Together, we have contributed over 2500 volunteer hours already in 2014!

It has been another amazing and transforming year for PARA, but we have so much more to do! PARA runs on a shoestring budget with the human power of an almost entirely volunteer workforce and our two person outreach team–budgeted for only 30 hours per week. We’d like to do so much more! Please consider making a donation to PARA this year to support and grow this critical work in our community.

 

A few of the activities and accomplishments reached this year through the contributions of all of PARA’s supporters, volunteers and partners:

Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis. photo US FWS

Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis. photo US FWS

 Holding Agencies Accountable

Filed a complaint in federal court in October with Defenders of Wildlife against the Forest Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service for their unlawful approval of the Regal Resources Sunnyside mineral drilling project in southern Arizona’s Coronado National Forest, in the Alum Gulch area of the Patagonia Mountains. The Sunnyside project approval violates environmental laws and poses a potential threat to endangered species and the safety of drinking water for Patagonia area residents. The Coronado National Forest, Patagonia Mountains and waterways in our region support some of the world’s most imperiled wildlife, including jaguar, ocelot, lesser long-nosed bat, Mexican spotted owl, and yellow-billed cuckoo.

 

Hermosa Mine ProposalEducating the Community on Mining Risks

Released a peer-reviewed report with the national organization EARTHWORKS, “The Hermosa Mine: Potential Impacts to Patagonia’s Water Supply.” The report uses geologic and hydrologic studies from mine developer AZ Mining Inc (Wildcat Silver), the United States Geologic Survey, the Arizona Department of Water Resources, the Town of Patagonia, and others, as well as analyzes historic contamination issues caused by mining in the Patagonia Mountains. We conclude in our report that the seemingly inescapable realities of acid drainage and water consumption impacts pose too great a risk to Patagonia.

 

SIA Biologist, Sergio Avila

SIA Biologist, Sergio Avila

Empowering the Community, Ensuring Due Diligence

Coordinated and submitted NEPA comments on the USFS draft Environmental Assessment for the AZ Mining Inc (Wildcat Silver) Hermosa drilling project with Defenders of Wildlife, Arizona Mining Reform Coalition, Center for Biological Diversity, Earthworks, and Sky Island Alliance. Hosted a community workshop to empower residents to comment on the Hermosa EA comprising of an overview of the Hermosa proposal and its likely impacts; a NEPA presentation and how to comment on an EA by Jenny Neeley, Attorney at Law; and a presentation of area wildlife by Biologist, Sergio Avila, of Sky Island Alliance.

 

Sonoita Creek

Sonoita Creek

Tireless Advocacy for Patagonia Area Water and Wildlife

Submitted comments regarding the proposed United States Forest Service Guidelines on Groundwater, advocating for groundwater protection and consideration of potential impacts regarding all agency activities in our National Forests, especially in regards to hardrock mining. Submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the proposed rule defining the “Waters of the U.S.” advocating for protection of ephemeral and intermittent streams. Submitted comments advocating for more designated critical habitat in the Patagonia Mountains for the threatened yellow-billed cuckoo.

To learn more about our 2014 accomplishments and efforts, please take a look at PARA’s “Report to the Community” available on our website at: www.patagoniaalliance.org/our-activities- outreach/

 

Looking Ahead…

Unceasing Protection of the Patagonia Mountains.

With continued legal assistance from Defenders of Wildlife, PARA strives to hold mining companies, the US Forest Service and all agencies accountable to follow the laws and regulations designed to protect our water, air, surrounding ecosystems and communities. We are positioned to respond to future exploratory mining proposals scheduled for the Patagonia Mountains.

Sustaining Wildlife Data Documentation and Collaborations

Citizen scientists from the community continue wildlife monitoring efforts in the Patagonia Mountains focusing on areas immediately at risk by proposed mining activities. Data gathered is used to fight mining proposals through species lists, presence of vulnerable species and habitat analysis. Additional collaborations are ongoing with Defenders of Wildlife, EARTHWORKS, Sky Island Alliance and Tucson Audubon to ensure this data is applied to advocacy efforts in the most effective ways.

Increasing Our Outreach for 2015

PARA is strategizing to expand community education activities to grow our base of support and empower concerned residents with potential actions to keep mining out of the Patagonia Mountains. We recognize the need to establish sustainable funding to maintain core functions and seek to expand funding sources. With our additional staff funding in the 2015 budget, we plan to sustain our two person team to continue to expand our outreach beyond our community boundaries. Our 2014 Financial Report is also available online: www.patagoniaalliance.org/our-activities-outreach/

For A Thriving Community in 2015 and beyond

PARA recognizes that the health and economic prosperity of our community are deeply connected to the well-being of the Patagonia Mountains and the Harshaw/Sonoita Creek watershed. They are the source of our drinking water, clean air and the centerpieces that drive our local economy.

 

Please make a Year-End Gift to PARA

There are many needs in our community and many compelling requests for support. We believe one of the most fundamental is protecting our drinking water and our community from the well-known detrimental effects of open pit mining. To that end, PARA is seeking to raise $19,000 by the end of 2014 to support the several ongoing and new initiatives outlined above as we move into 2015. We are fortunate to have a group of amazingly committed community members and generous donors supporting our work, but we are looking to broaden the base of support to ensure not only financial sustainability, but also the ability to impact local, regional and national decision-making on our own behalf.

That’s where you come in. The work necessary to make this vision of 2015 a reality is possible only because of your time and your financial support. Please make a gift today.

Recurring monthly donations can be made securely through PayPal.

Please contribute securely online at: www.patagoniaalliance.org/donations/

Every single contribution makes a sizable difference to our organization and ultimately for our community. It is only because of the generous support from people like you that we can undertake this critical work. Thank you!

Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoo Receives Federal Protection under the Endangered Species Act

Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoo Receives Federal Protection under the Endangered Species Act

For Immediate Release
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
October 02, 2014

Sacramento – The western population of the yellow-billed cuckoo will be protected as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today. The Service determined that listing a distinct population segment (DPS) of the bird in portions of 12 western states, Canada and Mexico is warranted. In the U.S., the DPS will cover parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Yellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanusThe western population of the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), an insect-eating bird found in riparian woodland habitats, winters in South America and breeds in western North America. Once abundant in the western United States, populations have declined for several decades, primarily due to the severe loss, degradation and fragmentation of its riparian habitat as a result of conversion to agriculture, dam construction, river flow management and riverbank protection. Overgrazing and invasive exotic plants have also contributed to declines.

“While the major threat to yellow-billed cuckoos has been loss of riverside habitat, we do not anticipate any significant new water-related requirements as a result of this listing decision,” said Ren Lohoefener, Director of the Service’s Pacific Southwest Region. “The water resource requirements for riparian habitat are not unique to cuckoos, and in many cases are already being implemented for other species. Riparian restoration efforts go hand-in-hand with good land management, especially management that promotes good livestock grazing practices.

The Service’s final listing rule, which will be published in tomorrow’s Federal Register and become effective November 3, 2014, is based on a thorough review of the best scientific and commercial information available, obtained through exhaustive research, public comments and independent scientific peer reviews.

Next steps include designation of critical habitat for the species and development of a recovery plan. Both steps will be strengthened by participation from other federal and state agencies, tribal entities and the public in the open comment periods.

More information, including the listing rule, is at: http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/outreach/Public-Advisories/WesternYellow-BilledCuckoo/outreach_PA_Western-Yellow-Billed-Cuckoo.htm

 

Proposed Critical Cuckoo Habitat Near Patagonia, Arizona.

Critical habitat for the Yellow-billed cuckoo is proposed from the Town of Patagonia west along Sonoita Creek and includes Patagonia Lake and the Sonoita Creek State Natural Area. That area is the only proposed critical habitat near Patagonia, Arizona. The effect of this regulation, if finalized, is to designate critical habitat for the western yellow-billed cuckoo under the Endangered Species Act.

FWS is seeking comments on the designation of critical habitat for Western Yellow-billed cuckoos. Deadline to comment is October 14, 2014.

Follow link to submit comments: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/08/15/2014-19178/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-designation-of-critical-habitat-for-the-western

Sonoita Creek Cuckoo Proposed Habitat: Unit 32_AZ_24

Sonoita Creek Cuckoo Proposed Habitat: Unit 32_AZ_24

 

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie.

Toxic Mining Contaminants Threaten People and Wildlife in Arizona

Toxic Mining Contaminants Threaten People and Wildlife in Arizona

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Courtney Sexton, 202.772.0253, csexton@defenders.org
Wendy Russell, 520.477.2308, Wendy@PatagoniaAlliance.org

 

Toxic Mining Contaminants Threaten People and Wildlife in Arizona

Trench Mine Overflow

Bright orange water overflowing from the historic Trench mine, twice reclaimed by Asarco and now owned by the State of Arizona.

TUCSON, ARIZ. – Contaminants from a mine spill in Cananea, Sonora earlier this summer have likely reached the San Pedro River flowing into Arizona. And with recent storms, old copper and silver mine sites near Patagonia are leaking bright red contaminants into local streams. These toxic reminders of our mining history have the potential to wreak havoc on local water supplies and wildlife in the Coronado National Forest, one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world.

“The Coronado National Forest, the “Sacred” Santa Ritas, the San Pedro River Valley, the Patagonias and all of the Sky Islands nourish some of the most incredible and endangered biodiversity in the world, including jaguars, ocelots, yellow-billed cuckoos and Gila topminnows,” said Eva Sargent, director of Southwest Programs for Defenders of Wildlife. “This is a place that must be conserved, not a place for the destructive practice of mining and its toxic byproducts that ruin our public landscapes and pollute our waters.”

Lead Queen mine overflow

Toxic overflow from the historic Lead Queen mine in the Patagonia Mountains drains towards Harshaw Creek.

“All this toxic runoff is a prime example of why new mines should not be approved in the mountains of southern Arizona,” added Wendy Russell of the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance. “There are already approximately 130 abandoned mines in the Patagonia Mountains, many with eroding tailings and leaking tunnels discharging toxins. With heavy rainfall, that toxic discharge overflows into water systems like Harshaw Creek and Alum Gulch in the Santa Cruz watershed and threatens both local communities’ drinking water and already endangered fish and wildlife. With the state and federal governments seemingly incapable of cleaning up old polluting mines in the Patagonia Mountains, we have no confidence in their abilities to regulate new mining activity to protect our community’s drinking water, health and safety.”

 

Interviews with local experts regarding abandoned mine overflows in the Patagonia Mountains of southern Arizona in September, 2014.

###

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org<http://www.defenders.org/> and follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews<http://twitter.com/DefendersNews>.

The Patagonia Area Resource Alliance is a citizen watchdog organization that monitors the activities of mining companies, as well as ensures government agencies’ due diligence, to make sure their actions have long-term, sustainable benefits to our public lands, our water, and the town of Patagonia. For more information visit www.patagoniaalliance.org<http://www.patagoniaalliance.org>

Sunnyside Drilling Proposal Gets Go Ahead From Forest Service

Sunnyside Drilling Proposal Gets Go Ahead From Forest Service

Hiking Humboldt Canyon

Sierra Vista District Ranger Mark Ruggiero signed a Decision Memorandum (DM) for the Regal Resources Sunnyside exploratory mineral drilling project granting them a Categorical Exclusion and allowing a September 2014 start date. The project is located on the Coronado National Forest in Humboldt Canyon in the Patagonia Mountains and 6 miles south of the town of Patagonia, Arizona.

The Decision Memo followed a second round of scoping initiated in July 2013. “Seventy-eight comments were received during the 2013 30-day scoping period,” according to a August 28 email issued by CNF Geologist Patrick Morton. Scoping for this project also occurred in 2011. The Forest Service considered these prior comments for their analyses as well.

A Categorical Exclusion project is considered to NOT have a significant impact, either individually or collectively. It’s a category that is exempted from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements to prepare an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement both of which would analyze potential impacts of a proposal.

Humboldt Canyon Water

The potential negative effects that the Sunnyside drilling would have on the proposed Town of Patagonia Municipal Supply Watershed was one of the issues that raised by the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance. The Decision Memo (DM) states, “…the Town of Patagonia municipal supply may be affected. Due to the relatively limited duration and scale of the project, quantitative scientific studies have not been performed by the Forest Service regarding the water supply for the project and the possible effects to the town.” The DM concludes, “since the location of the water supply is unknown, the water supply of the Town of Patagonia may be totally unaffected as the supply source may be drawn from an entirely different groundwater basin.” We find this conclusion absurd.

Mexican Spotted Owl © Glen E Goodwin

Mexican Spotted Owl © Glen E Goodwin

PARA also submitted concerns about the Sunnyside drilling project’s effects on endangered species and their habitat. The DM stated that the Biological Assessment and Biological Evaluation determined that the drilling “‘may affect, not likely to adversely affect’ for jaguar, ocelot, lesser Long-nosed bat, and Mexican spotted owl.” The mineral drilling project is located in protected critical habitat for both the jaguar and the Mexican spotted owl.

Absent from the DM was any commentary on cumulative impacts in regards to Wildcat Silver’s Hermosa drilling proposal, other drilling proposals, other activity in the Patagonia Mountains, or ongoing drought conditions.

Regal Resources must post receipt of a reclamation bond, submit a final Plan of Operation with mitigations as required by the DM, and provide an approved spill response plan before their exploratory drilling can begin. Additionally, a September 3rd press release issued by Regal Resources begs the question if they even have the finances to start their exploratory drilling.

There is no objection period offered by the Forest Service for Categorical Exclusion (CE) decisions. CE decisions are final. Any appeals or objections must be addressed through litigation.

Questions about the Sunnyside drilling project should be directed to: Patrick Morton, Geologist, Coronado National Forest, 300 W. Congress St., Tucson, AZ 85701, 520-388-8348, pmorton@fs.fed.us.

No Facts, All Fiction

No Facts, All Fiction

By Bryan Junger

As a citizen of Patagonia and environmental engineer, I got a real kick out of Greg Lucero’s opinion piece published March 19 in The Bulletin, entitled Town Water Supply: Fact vs. Fiction. As the title suggests, this piece is chock full of fiction, but I was unable to positively identify a single fact, other than Lucero’s name and title. I enjoy active reading, so trying to figure out which (if any) of Lucero’s statements were actually true was a welcomed exercise.

The first false statement Lucero makes is about the designation of Sonoita Creek Watershed as a “municipal” watershed, an issue that Jim Upchurch Forest Supervisor from the Coronado National Forest put to rest at a public meeting in Patagonia on March 24, 2014. Upchurch told Patagonia citizens that the Forest Service already considers Sonoita Creek to be a municipal watershed.

Sonoita Creek Watershed

The municipal watershed designation may not preclude the use of Forest Service land for mining, as it is authorized by the US Mining Laws of May 10, 1872. These laws secure a “free entry” system forged under a frontier mentality, from a time when mining was the “first and best use of the land,” though these laws have since been modified to include amendments for the provision of “sound environmental practices.”

As VP of Sustainability for AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver, I can only presume that Mr. Lucero is at least partially responsible for ensuring that his company operates according to sound environmental practices. Judging from the statements made in his recent article about our town’s water supply, we might assume that Mr. Lucero has a background in environmental analysis, hydrology, geology, or perhaps some form of engineering. The fact is, Mr. Lucero holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Arizona and has worked primarily in management positions throughout his career. By no measure does he appear to be an expert of hydrology, geology, environmental science, or related fields.

Two of the assertions made in Mr. Lucero’s article are the most glaringly inaccurate, in my mind:

  1. There is no hydrogeologic data to support the assertion that Harshaw Creek is located in the headwaters of Sonoita Creek watershed, feeding into the Town of Patagonia’s municipal water supply. This statement is plainly untrue. There is significant data available for the Sonoita Creek watershed, most of which has been produced by scholars and researchers associated with Mr. Lucero’s alma mater, the University of Arizona. U of A has a world-class hydrology department and has conducted numerous studies of the Sonoita Creek Watershed over the last 40+ years. Multiple studies provide evidence suggesting that a portion of the water flowing in and below Sonoita Creek – the source of Patagonia’s municipal water supply – are sourced from the Patagonia Mountains, which includes the area near Harshaw Creek.
  2. Patagonia’s wells and associated hydrogeology are different, the wells draw from a different source, and the location is 1,000 feet higher in elevation so therefore it is disconnected. While Lucero refers to an unnamed study by the AZ Department of Water Resources, the fact is that this statement about groundwater sourcing is pure conjecture. Harshaw is located within Sonoita Creek Watershed, at a higher elevation than the town of Patagonia but draining to the same location – the confluence where Sonoita Creek enters the Santa Cruz River. Therefore, by definition, this old mining town is located within the headwaters of both Sonoita Creek and the Santa Cruz River. Harshaw is both higher in elevation and located along the Harshaw Creek drainage that feeds into Sonoita Creek. It is located East of Patagonia and the local topology dictates that in order for water originating at Harshaw to drain into the Santa Cruz several miles West, it must flow down-gradient into Sonoita Creek.

In an effort to help combat misinformation about our watershed and also to work toward responsible management and improvement, local citizens and stakeholder groups are in the process of forming a Watershed Improvement Council (WIC) as part of an effort to consider our watershed, its health, and its many uses carefully so that we can continue to enjoy its services in perpetuity. If you are interested in learning more or becoming involved, please send me a message at bryan.jungers@gmail.com.

Writing Comments on Draft Environmental Assessments

Tips for Writing Comments for a Draft EA

By Jenny Neeley

1. Consider whether the effects significant. If they are, then the Forest Service must prepare a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) rather than an Environmental Assessment (EA). When deciding whether the impacts are “significant” NEPA implementing regulations (40 CFR § 1508.27) require that agencies consider both:

  • Context: The significance of an action must be analyzed in several contexts such as society as a whole, the affected region, the affected interests, and the locality. Significance varies with the setting of the proposed action. For instance, in the case of a site-specific action, significance would usually depend upon the effects in the locale rather than in the world as a whole. Both short- and long-term effects are relevant.
  • Intensity: This refers to the severity of impact. …The following should be considered in evaluating intensity:
    • Impacts that may be both beneficial and adverse. A significant effect may exist even if the Federal agency believes that on balance the effect will be beneficial.
    • The degree to which the proposed action affects public health or safety.
    • Unique characteristics of the geographic area such as proximity to historic or cultural resources, park lands, prime farmlands, wetlands, wild and scenic rivers, or ecologically critical areas.
    • The degree to which the effects on the quality of the human environment are likely to be highly controversial.
    • The degree to which the possible effects on the human environment are highly uncertain or involve unique or unknown risks.
    • The degree to which the action may establish a precedent for future actions with significant effects or represents a decision in principle about a future consideration.
    • Whether the action is related to other actions with individually insignificant but cumulatively significant impacts. Significance exists if it is reasonable to anticipate a cumulatively significant impact on the environment. Significance cannot be avoided by terming an action temporary or by breaking it down into small component parts.
    • The degree to which the action may adversely affect districts, sites, highways, structures, or objects listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or may cause loss or destruction of significant scientific, cultural, or historical resources.
    • The degree to which the action may adversely affect an endangered or threatened species or its habitat that has been determined to be critical under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
    • Whether the action threatens a violation of Federal, State, or local law or requirements imposed for the protection of the environment.

2. Make your comments “substantive” and specific. The Forest Service is required by law to respond to all “substantive” comments submitted during the public comment period; the more specific and focused your comments are, the more detailed the response must be from the agency. Comments that simply say “I am opposed to this project” will not, by themselves, require a response from the agency.

3. Include the specific sections, pages and/or topics you are referencing in the Draft EA. To the extent you can, direct your comments to specific sections, pages or topics in the Draft EA, recognizing that some comments may be addressing missing or incomplete information, or even missing topics, that you feel should be addressed.

4. Make your letter personal! Your personal connection to the Patagonia Mountains and surrounding area is an incredibly important part of your comment letter. You should explain how will you be personally impacted if this proposal moves forward. Include information about how it will affect your home, your land, your family, and/or your business and livelihood. This is a great way to start your letter and to frame the rest of your comments, and will help get the Forest Service’s attention.

Additional Information

See our NEPA Resources page: http://www.patagoniaalliance.org/nepa-resources/
More information about Wildcat Silver at: http://www.patagoniaalliance.org/wildcat-silver/

The Garden Beckons

The Garden Beckons

By Colin Treiber

Conveniently located at Fourth and Duquesne, the Patagonia Community Garden offers a resource to all aspiring or experienced gardeners. It is a great opportunity to connect directly to our food, our neighbors, and the earth. By participating in local food growing, we become closer to the land, the community, and life. Through growing our food we take a vested interest in our own health and the health of this planet.

The Patagonia Community Garden offers a variety of plots. Find the space that resonates with you and make it your own. In addition to the standard beds, we will have some raised beds, developed this year to assist those that may find it difficult to plant at ground level.

Patagonia Community Garden. photo PRT The community space is convenient and affordable. Not only are you supported by the knowledge of many other gardeners, but you also have access to necessary tools, water, seeds, and seedlings to make your plot a beautiful and abundant garden.

The importance of the community garden—and the space it offers—is manifold. The dryness that has developed over the last several years has intensified recently. Poor agricultural conditions spread across the farmlands of the west. It seems inevitable that our nation’s food production will dwindle, and consumers will feel the burden of increasing prices.

Fortunately, the systems supporting our nation’s food industry are changing. Small, regionally adapted, and sustainable farms are gaining traction. Community gardens and home gardens are sprouting into prominence, and for good reason. As the Community Gardening Association puts it:

“Community gardening improves people’s quality of life by providing a catalyst for neighborhood and community development, stimulating social interaction, encouraging self-reliance, beautifying neighborhoods, producing nutritious food, reducing family food budgets, conserving resources and creating opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy and education.”

It could be said that the community garden is a doorway to new growth and intimacy in our life. It is an opportunity to develop respect and understanding for all life that surrounds us and an occasion to bring greater abundance into our lives. Let us do the work, together, to nurture this abundance.

The Patagonia Community Garden rents plots at the low price of $5 per month. The garden has a variety of seedlings available for gardeners. They will begin to be available for sale in the garden greenhouse by late March. We look forward to turning the garden into a true community of gardeners and growers eager to share experience, ideas, stories, and food. Please call Martha at 520-394-2752 with any questions. See you in the garden!

Colin Treiber is PARA’s social media magician. Be sure to say ‘hi’ on Facebook or Twitter!

The Real Threat to Our Water Supply

The Real Threat to Our Water Supply

By Michael Stabile

Our municipal watershed is the only source of potable water for the Town of Patagonia and over 300 private well users within a three-mile radius of town. The recent article in the PRT about the drop in the town’s water table and the subsequent discussion of possible water rationing is a wake up call to all residents of Patagonia.

Water is taken for granted; we all just assume that we will be able to turn the tap and water will flow. Thirteen years of drought and climatologists’ model of drier years to come should affect the way we use this precious resource. We should all do our part to conserve water.

At a recent meeting of the town council it was decided to have a further discussion with town residents on cutting back on their water usage voluntarily. Where else might the Town Council look for water protection? How about opposing industrial mining impacts on the community water supply?

The Rosemont project is projected to use 6,000 acre feet of water per year. That’s almost two BILLION gallons of groundwater. The Sonoran Institute’s water study calculated that the effects of this drawdown of the water table could possibly be felt as far away as Patagonia and could in turn, have a great effect on the Sonoita creek drainage.

Sonoita Creek, part of the Patagonia Municipal Water Supply ©Glen E Goodwin

Sonoita Creek, part of the Patagonia Municipal Water Supply

The AZ Mining Inc (Wildcat Silver) Hermosa project is located in the headwaters of the Harshaw creek drainage. When AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s first Preliminary Economic Assessment was issued for investors, the project covered about 3,000 acres. The project has since grown to 13,666 acres, and the open pit has expanded by at least 30%, according to AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s Pre-Feasibility Study released in December 2013. When Chris Jones, AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s then CEO, gave a presentation to Patagonia residents in 2010, he said that the water usage would be 450,000-700,000 gallons of water per day. Estimating water usage from AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s own formula and data (one-half ton water for each ton of ore processed), the Hermosa open pit mine would potentially consume almost two million gallons of water per DAY. By comparison, the town of Patagonia uses roughly 115,000 gallons of water per day. Even if everyone in town conserves water by 20%, it amounts to only 23,000 gallons per day. It will have very little impact if these mines go into operation.

These two mines would use close to three billion gallons of groundwater per year. The Town should take a stronger stance on the real threat to our water supply. We can conserve all the water we want, but it would be nothing in comparison to the amount of water consumed by proposed mining.

We live in a desert. We are in a drought with long-term scientific forecasts for increasing water shortages. Water is simply the most precious commodity we have. Water is far more precious than a few jobs promised to us.

Michael Stabile was the chairman of Patagonia’s Planning and Zoning commission, and at present is a Board member of PARA. He worked with Patagonia Town Manager David Teel to get the Sonoita Creek and Harshaw Creek drainages designated as the Town of Patagonia Municipal Supply Watershed.

Unemployment – Why Should We Care?

By Carolyn Shafer

To be unemployed is scary—especially when one is the head of household and has a child to feed. I have been that person, and I know only too well the frustrations and despair of being unemployed. Many of us, however, have never been in such a situation and know little, if anything, about today’s unemployment problem.

Let’s lay out some statistics that may help. As of January 2014, the nation’s official unemployment rate was 6.6%, a figure federal and state agencies base on “total unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor force.” Out of that, about 5% comprise persons relocating, changing occupations, coming to the end of a seasonal job, or simply not wanting to work.

So where are we locally? According to the Arizona Commerce Authority, as of December 2013, the rate of unemployment in Patagonia was 12.8% (56 people), in Sonoita 6% (28 people) , and in Elgin 16.1% (28 people) . It is unrealistic to expect a 0% unemployment rate. There will always be people who are moving between jobs or who voluntarily choose to be unemployed. Subtracting the 5% that are jobless due to factors listed above, the number of unemployed becomes 34 in Patagonia, 5 in Sonoita and 19 in Elgin. That still leaves people who want to work and can’t find employment, even though there are jobs available. Some jobs can be found in local advertisements or by word of mouth. In addition, there is the Santa Cruz County One Stop Center for Workforce Development, located in Nogales (for information call 520-375-7670). This facility, part of a chain of One Stop Centers throughout Arizona, posts job listings and offers information about career options and instruction on how to conduct a job search, write a resume, and behave during an interview.

In part, the problem of finding employment relates to matching the skills and experience of those seeking jobs to the requirements of the jobs that are available. Some of those who can’t find work need to earn a wage that can support their family but don’t have the skills to qualify for such positions. Others may get turned down for a job because they are overqualified.

Patagonia’s high school seniors who are preparing to enter the job market, are “strongly tied to this community,” according to school counselor Rosann Clark, who has worked in high school counseling for many years. She says that she has never seen any place where students return to their home community at the rate she observes here. The career interests expressed by this year’s graduating class include medicine, environmental sustainability, criminal justice, military service, social service, and ranch management, among others.

In order to stay in their community, these young adults will need to find jobs that suit their career goals within the industries that comprise our local economy. Right now, those industries are primarily ranching, local food production, eco-tourism (hiking, bicycling, birding, etc), retail sales, and wineries. For them, as well as for those in our community whose struggle to find employment is ongoing, our challenge is to define and strengthen a local economy that provides a diversity of livelihoods that are economically stable enough to support all who are willing to work. To be truly sustainable, that economy must also take into account factors contributing to quality of life. Next month, we’ll explore ways of defining a community’s quality of life and evolving a thriving economic model that meets that goal.

Decoding the Hermosa Project

Decoding the Hermosa Project

By Wendy Russell

The Patagonia Area Resource Alliance and Earthworks are working together to analyze AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s Hermosa open pit mine plans so that our community can better understand its likely impacts. Earthworks is a national non-profit organization dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the impacts of irresponsible mineral and energy development while seeking sustainable solutions. Earthworks stands for clean water, healthy communities and corporate accountability.

Here are some of the outcomes we can expect if the proposed Hermosa drilling project moves forward.

By reading reports that AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver has recently released to investors which contain detailed information about its mining plans in the Patagonia Mountains, one can understand the purposes behind its current drilling exploration proposal of “drilling 24 geotechnical boreholes, 10 exploration boreholes and 12 hydrogeologic boreholes / monitoring wells, and excavating 16 test pits.” Spoiler alert: the sole purpose of the drilling proposal is to advance an open pit mine plan.

One purpose of the monitoring wells, as described in a January 2014 AZ Mining Inc /Wildcat Silver report, is to help “determine the quantity, location and pumping rates required to dewater the pit.” By the second year of mining,AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s open pit would go below the water table, and water would be seeping into the pit. In order to mine,AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver would have to continuously pump out this groundwater. The study says, “This creates a cone of depression around the pit allowing mining to take place.” What the report does not say is that this “cone of depression” will lower groundwater levels of the broader landscape. A rough calculation of groundwater pumping required by the mine would be 670 million gallons of water annually. To put this in perspective, the groundwater level for the town of Patagonia has already dropped nearly 18 feet since 2008, and the town uses approximately 42 million gallons per year. Wildcat’s mining would require 15 times that amount.

The geotechnical exploration that is slated to occur primarily in Corral Canyon and Goldbaum Canyon is also for AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s open pit mine plans. Corral Canyon is described in AZ Mining Inc /Wildcat Silver’s report as “an optimal location for siting the TSF [Tailings Storage Facility]. Tailings typically contain dangerous chemicals, including arsenic, lead, mercury, and processing chemicals like acids and cyanide. AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver notes that Corral Canyon is “at the top of the watershed.” It is also the top of the Patagonia Municipal Supply Watershed, the sole source of drinking water for the town of Patagonia and an additional 300 area wells.

Corral Canyon ©Caleb Weaver

Corral Canyon in the Patagonia Mountains, proposed site for AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s mine tailings piles.

AZ Mining Inc /

Goldbaum Canyon is the planned location for AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s Waste Rock Storage Facility. Waste rock is rock that does not contain desired minerals. It often contains iron, which can transform to produce acid run-off when exposed to air and water. This phenomenon is known as acid drainage. Acid drainage is irreversible and is already an ongoing issue from historic mines in the Patagonia Mountains.

The 10 exploration holes proposed in the current drilling plan, whose purpose is to prove the extent of the silver deposits, are essentially the same exploration holes AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver proposed in 2011 but withdrew when PARA, Defenders of Wildlife, and Sky Island Alliance sued the Forest Service over its approval of Wildcat’s plans.

 

Advancing an Open Pit Mine

By reading AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s reports to investors, it becomes clear that the only purpose of the Hermosa drilling proposal is to further develop an open pit mine plan. It is most certainly not a water study done for the benefit of the Town of Patagonia–a concocted assertion put forward by supporters of the mine. A peer-reviewed study of AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s mine plan being prepared by PARA and Earthworks will provide the facts and detailed information on anticipated risks to our groundwater, the potential for acid drainage contamination, and heavy metals pollution, as well as the range of issues associated with air pollution, light and noise pollution.

 

PARA End of Year Wrap Up

PARA End of Year Wrap Up

It’s hard to believe that the end of the year is approaching! When 2013 began your friends, neighbors, and colleagues here at the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) were gearing up for a busy year promoting the incredible beauty, community and natural heritage of your Town of Patagonia and the Patagonia Mountains. Little did we know what a whirlwind this year would be! The past eleven months have seemingly sped by while we have been advocating to protect this amazing place that we all treasure from the multiple threats that exploratory drilling and mining pose to our small community.

PARA was formed in 2011 to educate and engage the community about the risks and realities of mining, to promote local sustainable economies like ecotourism, to better understand our precious and imperiled natural resources such as clean water and wildlife, and to actively advocate for the protection of those resources in concert with Patagonia’s distinct and serene rural way of life.

You have helped us along the way this year! You have volunteered, come to public meetings, wrote letters to elected and appointed officials; you have taken a class to learn more about the wildlife in our midst and asked poignant questions about the future of our community. Together, we have contributed over 5000 volunteer hours already in 2013!

It has been an amazing and transforming year for PARA, but we have so much more to do! PARA runs on a shoestring budget with the human power of an almost entirely volunteer workforce and just one part-time, coordinator. We’d like to do so much more! Please consider making a donation to PARA this year to support and grow this critical work in our community.

We’d like to share with you just a few of the activities and milestones reached this year through the contributions of all of PARA’s supporters, volunteers and partners:
Board members Michael & Carolyn in Cady Hall

PARA Board members Michael & Carolyn

Educating the Community, Empowering Ourselves

With a grant awarded from Patagonia® Inc, PARA and Sky Island Alliance (SIA) co-hosted an Advocacy workshop for area residents with national expert Dinah Bear on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). We put on two additional NEPA environmental impact scoping comment workshops on mining proposals and held four more letter writing sessions. The PARA Board also participated in our own workshops with SIA Executive Director, Melanie Emerson. Read more…

 

Dr. Van Devender & scientists in Harshaw Creek

Dr. Van Devender & scientists in Harshaw Creek

Documenting Patagonia’s Natural History 

We hosted a BioBlitz in the Patagonia Mountains with Dr. Tom Van Devender of SIA and scientists from all over the Southwest. 418 different species of plants and animals were documented in one weekend–including a new American record of the Willowleaf Oak (Quercus viminea). Results are being used to protect species and habitats imperiled by mining and drilling proposals and can be viewed online at www.madrean.org. Read more…

 

Sergio Avila and John Davis on American Peak

Sergio Avila and John Davis on American Peak

 

Advocating for Protection Through Tireless Outreach

PARA steadfastly engages elected officials and national organizations regarding the perils that Patagonia faces with proposed mining. This year we conducted tours of proposed mine sites to representatives from the U.S. Senate, Defenders of Wildlife, EARTHWORKS, TrekWest and the media. We remain dogged in our outreach to get and keep attention focused here. Read more…

 

Board member Gooch hiking Humboldt Canyon

Board member Gooch hiking in Humboldt Canyon

Ensuring Agencies’ Due Diligence

We successfully made the case that the NEPA scoping period for Regal Resources mineral drilling proposal in Humboldt Canyon be re-opened. PARA advocated and reasoned with the District Ranger of the US Forest Service that NEPA decisions should be made using current rather than outdated information. He concurred and ultimately gave us all two additional years to prepare data for more comprehensive scoping comments that can accurately articulate the broadest range of potential impacts. Read more…

 

To learn more about our 2013 accomplishments and efforts, please take a look at PARA’s “Report to the Community” available on our website at: www.patagoniaalliance.org/our-activities-outreach/

 

Looking Ahead…

Unceasing Protection of the Patagonia Mountains.
With continued legal assistance from Defenders of Wildlife, PARA strives to hold mining companies, the US Forest Service and all agencies accountable to follow the laws and regulations designed to protect our water, air, surrounding ecosystems and communities. We are positioned to respond to future public scoping notices for exploratory mining proposals scheduled for the Patagonia Mountains.

Sustaining Wildlife Data Documentation and Collaborations
Citizen scientists from the Town of Patagonia continue wildlife monitoring efforts in the Patagonia Mountains focusing on areas immediately at risk by proposed mining activities. Data gathered is used to fight mining proposals through species lists, presence of vulnerable species and habitat analysis. Additional collaborations are ongoing with Defenders of Wildlife, EARTHWORKS, Sky Island Alliance and others to ensure this data is applied to advocacy efforts in the most effective ways.

Increasing Our Outreach for 2014
PARA is strategizing to expand community education activities to grow our base of support and empower concerned residents with potential actions to keep mining out of the Patagonia Mountains. We recognize the need to establish sustainable funding to maintain core functions and seek to expand funding sources. Receiving our own 501(c)(3) non-profit status was just the first step. With additional staff funding in the 2014 budget, we plan to add members to our team to continue to expand our outreach beyond our community boundaries. Our 2013 Financial Report is also available online: www.patagoniaalliance.org/our-activities-outreach/

For A Thriving Community in 2014 and beyond
PARA recognizes that the health and economic prosperity of our community are deeply connected to the wellbeing of the Patagonia Mountains and the Harshaw/Sonoita Creek watershed. They are the source of our drinking water, clean air and the centerpiece for the tourism that drives our local economy.

Please make a Year-End Gift to PARA

There are many needs in our community and many compelling requests for support. We believe one of the most fundamental is protecting our drinking water and our community from the well-known detrimental effects of open pit mining. To that end, PARA is seeking to raise $19,000 by the end of 2013 to support the several ongoing and new initiatives outlined above as we move into 2014. We are fortunate to have a group of amazingly committed community members and generous donors supporting our work, but we are looking to broaden the base of support to ensure not only financial sustainability, but also the ability to impact local, regional and national decision-making on our own behalf. That’s where you come in. The work necessary to make this vision of 2014 a reality is possible only because of your time and your financial support. Please make a gift today.

Please donate to PARA securely online at: www.patagoniaalliance.org/donations/

Every single contribution makes a sizable difference to our organization and ultimately for our community. It is only because of the generous support from people like you that we can undertake this critical work. Thank you!

Your PARA Board and Coordinator

Carolyn Shafer, Cliff Hirsch, Gooch Goodwin, Joseph Nitsche, Katie Flemming-Ballard, Lee Rogers, Michael Stabile and Wendy Russell

Find Out What’s Happening Now in Patagonia!

Find Out What’s Happening Now in Patagonia!

 

San Antonio Mountains, southern extension of Patagonia Mountains in Mexico

Upcoming Forest Service Public Meeting in Patagonia

August 20th informational meeting on AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver’s Hermosa mining exploration proposal.

The Coronado National Forest will host a public meeting on Tuesday, August 20th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Patagonia High School Cafeteria, 200 Naugle Avenue, Patagonia, AZ. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an overview of the proposed Hermosa Drilling Project including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process. Forest staff will be available to answer questions.

Oral scoping comments will not be solicited nor accepted at the meeting.

Click for Overview of AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver Hermosa Project

Reminder: Today is the deadline for public comments on the Sunnyside mining exploration proposal in Humboldt Canyon.

Please include the project name (Sunnyside Project) in the subject line and email to:comments-southwestern-coronado@fs.fed.us

Please also share your comments with info@PatagoniaAlliance.org. Congressman Raul Grijalva is interested in reading our public comments on the floor of the US House of Representatives. We will forward your comments to his office.

 comment writing
Write Comments on AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver Hermosa Mining ProposalAugust 22nd,  4pm – 7pm

Open House

 

PARA and Sky Island Alliance are teaming up again to co-host a workshop on how to comment effectively on the AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver Hermosa mining exploration proposal.

We’ll be at Cady Hall in Patagonia from 4pm to 7pm. Come anytime for information and instruction on how to comment. Refreshments will be served.

This is the public’s opportunity to comment to the Forest Service regarding all potential aspects of this mining exploration project and its potential impacts: water, impacts to both quality and quantity; air quality; wildlife and vegetation; soils; cultural and archaeological resources; visual and scenic values; dark skies/light pollution; recreation; pubic safety; transportation/roads; interaction of social and economic factors; cumulative impacts (those that increase in significance over time).

Click for more information.

 

Summary of Patagonia Town Council Meeting on August 14thThe community of Patagonia united to contribute to a meaningful and civil discussion regarding the Town of Patagonia Council agenda item: “Discussion of Support of AZ Mining Inc aka AZ Minerals [Wildcat Silver] Hermosa Drilling Project Plan of Operation.”

 

The theme often repeated was the inappropriateness of the Town voting to support a business at all. Issues ranged from the agenda item being beyond the legal scope of the Town Council’s duties to the likelihood that such a vote could alienate a portion of the community–and therefore the Town’s position should remain neutral.

 

One point made was that the only entity that would benefit from Town approval is AZ Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver in aiding its attempts to attract would-be investors. Also emphasized was the Town’s need to fully participate in the National Environmental Policy Act Scoping period in order to hold legal standing regarding any decisions made by the Forest Service on the Hermosa project.

 

Everyone agreed on the need for a water study. But the study proposed by Wildcat Silver is only to determine the hydrology surrounding their planned open pit mine. It will not give the Town critical information such as determining the flow rate of Harshaw Creek and Sonoita Creek which both supply water to our town wells. A water study conducted by an unbiased, third party would be far more valuable than any study presented to the Town by a mining company.

 donation
donate button

 

Charitable giving to the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance allows you to make a tangible difference by empowering us to continue our efforts to stop new mining activity in the Patagonia region.

 

Your donations also make it possible for us to organize community involvement and action so that we can protect the Patagonia Mountains, our water and our communities.

 

We are committed to our mission and grateful for your support. Click here to donate now.

 

PARA is a volunteer-based, non-profit, 501(c)(3)-pending organization, based in Patagonia, Arizona. All or part of your donation may be tax deductible as a charitable contribution. Please check with your tax advisor.

Patagonia BioBlitz

Patagonia BioBlitz

© All rights reserved by Matthew C. Brown

Sinaloa Wren ©Matthew C. Brown

The Patagonia Mountains are full of biological diversity. The mountains cross the border into Mexico, creating a virtual bridge for plant and animal species to the south. Consequently, we have many species from Mexico that are only found in the United States in Patagonia. Birders already know that the Sinaloa Wren can be seen in the States in Patagonia, Arizona. The Patagonia Mountains also provide important wildlife corridors and habitat for large mammals such as jaguars, ocelots, bears and mountain lions. To catalog and substantiate this biodiversity, we hosted Patagonia BioBlitz Days.

© Glen E Goodwin

BioBlitz Activities with Arizona Public Media ©Glen E Goodwin

 

What’s a BioBlitz? It’s an intense biological survey conducted in a short amount of time with the goal to record as many specimens as possible. We hosted a BioBlitz for the Patagonia Mountains with Sky Island Alliance and scientists from all over the Southwest on April 26-28, 2013. A crew from Arizona Public Media was on hand on Friday to record some of the action. See “Nature by the Numbers” by Tony Paniagua on Arizona Illustrated Nature.

 

The data collected from the BioBlitz is being posted onto the Sky Island  Alliance database called the Madrean Archipelago Biodiversity Assessment (MABA) Project. The project is managed by Dr. Tom Van Devender who brings a wealth of knowledge about the sky islands from a lifetime of research on both sides of the border. Preliminary plant results from the Patagonia BioBlitz can be found here. We’ll make further announcements as more data is interpreted and posted to the MABA website.

Read the Final Report: Patagonia BioBlitz

Partial funding for the Patagonia BioBlitz was received by a grant from Patagonia®.  We plan to use the Patagonia BioBlitz findings to block new mining activity in the Patagonia Mountains.

 

Guest Blog: TrekWest – A Coalition’s Campaign for Connectivity

Guest Blog: TrekWest – A Coalition’s Campaign for Connectivity

With permission, we’ve reprinted Matt Clark’s Blog from Defenders of Wildlife regarding the TrekWest journey. 

TrekWest – A Coalition’s Campaign for Connectivity by Matt Clark | Posted on 15 April 2013

Matt Clark, Southwest Representative 

Patagonia Mountains - rich habitat for wildlife in the southwest ©Matt Clark

Patagonia Mountains – rich habitat for wildlife in the southwest ©Matt Clark

If you are anything like me, you might get to feeling pessimistic sometimes because of all of the alarming news we hear about the growing extinction crisis, climate change and a plethora of other wildlife woes. The renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold once wrote, “One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds. Much of the damage inflicted on land is quite invisible to laymen. An ecologist must either harden his shell and make believe that the consequences of science are none of his business, or he must be the doctor who sees the marks of death in a community that believes itself well and does not want to be told otherwise.” Since Leopold’s day, science has deepened our understanding of these ecological wounds and their consequences for wildlife – and has also revealed promising solutions.

Though most understand the damage done when a species’ habitat is destroyed, we often overlook the damage that comes from breaking the habitat into smaller pieces or crisscrossing it with roads and other barriers. When native habitats become too small, isolated and fragmented, they can’t support healthy wildlife populations.

Here in Defenders’ Southwest office, we’ve partnered with the Wildlands Network and a dozen or more of North America’s most respected conservation organizations to protect, connect and restore a contiguous network of lands along the spine of the Rocky Mountains and associated ranges, basins, plateaus, and deserts – all the way from Alaska’s Brooks Range to the Mexican Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico. These habitats need to be stitched back together so that wildlife can survive in a crowded world, and can shift their ranges as climate change rapidly alters the environment.

U.S. Mexico border fence

A family of wild pigs trapped at the border fence that cuts across their habitat (©Matt Clark)

To bring attention to wildlife corridor conservation, outdoor adventurer John Davis is biking, hiking and paddling along a 5,000-mile journey from Mexico to Canada, highlighting the need for wildlife habitat and corridor protection on a local and international scale – a journey dubbed TrekWest. Along the way, John is pointing out projects by organizations, private landowners and decision-makers that have helped to protect or restore vital habitats and corridors. I joined John Davis and our local conservation partners on the trail for the second regional leg of his continental journey. We guided John to important places in the Sky Islands Ecoregion – one of Defenders’ focal landscapes – to highlight promising projects that aim to maintain and restore habitat connectivity.

While TrekWest is mostly about highlighting solutions and successes, we were also compelled to show John some of the obstacles to wildlife in the Sky Islands. We brought John to see the antithesis of habitat connectivity: the 20-foot-tall border wall that Customs and Border Protection has constructed along vast swaths of the border with Mexico, straight through prime wildlife habitat. Defenders led the charge against this massive project at the time, but sadly the construction continued without public input and via the waiving of important laws. On previous trips to the border, I have witnessed the wall’s effects on wildlife. I photographed a family of javelina (wild pigs) cut off from the Mexican part of their range, and have seen deer and mountain lions similarly stymied. Some of the more rugged, north/south wildlife corridors that span the border do not yet have walls constructed across them, and we hope they will never be built.

Jaguars like these are just beginning to make their way back into Arizona - but disconnected habitats make it a challenge.

Jaguars like these are just beginning to make their way back into Arizona – but disconnected habitats make it a challenge.

Another threat we could not sugar-coat for John is a number of mining proposals in the region. We visited the site of the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine in the Santa Rita Mountains, just south of Tucson. If this open pit mine proceeds despite strong local opposition and legal challenges, it would destroy and fragment habitat for a wide range of species, including the jaguar. We also brought John to the Patagonia Mountains (a crucial, cross-border mountain range) and showed him the site of the proposed “Wildcat” silver mine. If constructed, this would be the second largest silver mine in the world – and like Rosemont, it would destroy thousands of acres of habitat and sever its connections for many wildlife species including the endangered jaguar, ocelot, and lesser long-nosed bat and the threatened Mexican spotted owl. Defenders is working with partner organizations such as Sky Island Alliance and the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance to prevent this mine from becoming the newest ecological wound to the region.

On the positive side, I helped to guide John on a hike to tour a local wildlife linkage that connects the Santa Catalina Mountains to the Tortolita Mountains. The connection between these two habitats was severed by urban development and a heavily traveled state highway (SR 77). The Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, of which Defenders is an active member, has worked tirelessly with stakeholders to protect the threads of habitat that remain intact. The Coalition also helped convince the Regional Transportation Authority to build wildlife underpasses, and an ambitious overpass, to enable wildlife to pass safely across SR 77. Once built, these wildlife-dedicated structures will give deer, fox, coyote, bobcat, mountain lion and other wildlife a way to cross from one habitat to the next without putting themselves or drivers at risk.

The bridge over Davidson Canyon allows wildlife to cross under Interstate 10 (©Matt Clark)

The bridge over Davidson Canyon allows wildlife to cross under Interstate 10 (©Matt Clark)

Later, I met up with John and staff from Sky Island Alliance on a hike through Davidson Canyon, a crucial wildlife corridor that links the Rincon Mountains and Pima County’s Cienega Creek Natural Preserve with the Santa Rita Mountains. The canyon is particularly important because the highway’s bridge gives wildlife a place to safely cross beneath Interstate 10. We documented many tracks near the bridge left behind by roadrunner, opossum, fox, coyote, bobcat and cougar. Black bear have also been documented utilizing this corridor. Sky Island Alliance is working with the transportation department and the county to ensure that this corridor remains functional for the free-flow of wildlife movement. These are but a couple of shining examples of how we are collectively working together to ensure wildlife has room to roam.

I believe that the most important factor that has changed since Aldo Leopold’s time is that we are no longer alone as we face these ecological challenges. We are a part of a strong and growing network of well-informed, passionate people working together toward a common and noble cause: the conservation and restoration of our natural heritage. For me, connectivity conservation fuels the flame of hope. It is a way we can give wildlife a fighting chance to survive in an increasingly fragmented and warming world.

Arizona Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver Hermosa Mine News

Arizona Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver Hermosa Mine News

By Dave Ellis

March 18, 2013

Two news items of interest appeared on March 4. First, the announcement by Arizona Mining Inc (Wildcat Silver), “Wildcat Silver to Acquire Riva Gold”. Second, a new report by business and financial advisers Grant Thornton UK LLP that has found that “Junior Mining Companies [like Arizona Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver] are facing significant shortfalls in working capital, posing a major concern to future growth prospects.” Read full article: Money worries weigh on juniors at PDAC

With a little internet research, it is clear that the two items are closely related. First, the Arizona Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver announcement has lots of qualifiers. So, the reality is that Arizona Mining Inc / WS and Riva Gold have simply entered into a Letter of Agreement providing for the acquisition by Arizona Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver of all Riva shares at 4.7 Riva for 1 Arizona Mining Inc / WS share. Riva has C$8.1 million cash and no mineral properties or activities. So it ain’t a done deal. “The proposed acquisition remains subject to, among other things, “– the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement and applicable shareholder and regulatory approvals.”

Further, Riva agreed to provide a C$1 million loan to Arizona Mining Inc / WS at prime + 4% maturing on 12/31/2013. So WS gets some cash to drill some more holes on or around the Hermosa property. Between the lines, this means Arizona Mining Inc / Wildcat Silver has not been able to attract investor interest and, in desperation, has to accept limited, expensive financing for further exploratory drilling.

Second, Arizona Mining Inc / WS is not alone in failing to attract precious metals investors (suckers?) There are about 1600 Junior mining companies around the world. Neither  Arizona Mining Inc / WS nor Riva are even listed as Juniors! The Grant Thornton report states that “Low cash balances, coupled with broader pressures around regulatory risks and rising operating costs, have put some Junior miners at a disadvantage in the capital markets and undoubtedly some of the poorly managed entities will go bust in the near future.” (We can only hope!)

The Back Story
It is helpful to step back and look at the money game in relationship to Gold & Silver. From Wikipedia, we learn that the silver market was 490 million oz (Moz) industrial, 167 Moz jewelry, and 101 Moz investment in 2010. Industrial use transitioned gradually from pre-digital camera photography to RoHS lead-free electronic solder and Photovoltaic solar panels over a 10 year period. The jewelry market is even more stable. Thus, the “real” uses of silver metal evolve slowly. In contrast, the market for silver & gold investment changes as fast as money moves around. Like — Fast! As with the housing market from 2002 to 2008, the precious metals market is currently experiencing an investment bubble.

The graphs clearly show both the Gold and Silver “bubbles” now in their terminal downward phase.

Silver Prices

Silver Prices

Gold Prices

Gold Prices

Check out: http://www.google.com/finance?q=TSE%3AWS&ei=TF5DUZnFENL0rAGheQ

You will see that the price of WS stock mirrors http://www.monex.com/prods/silver_chart.html

PARA’s activism forces  Arizona Mining Inc / WS to spend precious $ to move forward. So our efforts make a difference!

Notes: Silver ($45/$10 = 4.5) more volatile than Gold ($1800/$750 = 2.4).  Both fast investment bubbles are due to “flight-to-safety in uncertain times”. Euro economies are stabilizing. Therefore, waning gold-silver investment goes down, so junior silver miners are struggling – duuuh!

 

Pin It on Pinterest