Published: March 29, 2021 |

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The proposed Rosemont Mine in Arizona has passed one federal regulatory hurdle after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decided that the project no longer needs a Clean Water Act permit.

The federal agency said Wednesday that the mine is not covered by the Clean Water Act because of Trump administration changes to federal rules that govern which streams receive regulatory control.

The decision still does not permit the mine to be built. Other legal hurdles remain before the $2 billion project can begin southeast of Tucson, the Arizona Daily Star reported

The ruling overturns previous determinations by the agency, mostly about a decade ago, that it had the authority to regulate mine discharges under the Clean Water Act.

Hudbay Minerals, which had previously asked the Corps to remove jurisdiction from the mine site, supported the decision.

“We are pleased with the Corps’ decision that there are no Waters of the United States within the Rosemont project area, which is consistent with our own view. This determination is a positive step in advancing the Rosemont project,” the organization said.

Stuart Gillespie is a representative for three tribes that have challenged federal approvals of the mine in court: the Tohono O’odham, Pascua Yaqui and Hopi. Gillespie said the decision is inconsistent with separate court actions by the Corps and the Environmental Protection Agency.

A Clean Water Act permit was one of two crucial permits needed for the mine to start construction, the newspaper reported. The other permit would be from the U.S. Forest Service, the newspaper reported. A federal judge in Tucson tossed the Forest Service’s approval in 2019. Hudbay and the federal government appealed, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals must decide whether to uphold that ruling.

Source: The Associated Press

About Hudbay
Hudbay is an integrated mining company primarily producing copper concentrate (containing copper, gold and silver), molybdenum concentrate and zinc metal. With assets in North and South America, the company is focused on the discovery, production and marketing of base and precious metals. Directly and through its subsidiaries, Hudbay owns three polymetallic mines, four ore concentrators and a zinc production facility in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan (Canada) and Cusco (Peru), and copper projects in Arizona and Nevada (United States). The company’s growth strategy is focused on the exploration and development of properties it already controls, as well as other mineral assets it may acquire that fit its strategic criteria. Hudbay’s vision is to be a responsible, top-tier operator of long-life, low-cost mines in the Americas. Hudbay’s mission is to create sustainable value through the acquisition, development and operation of high-quality, long-life deposits with exploration potential in jurisdictions that support responsible mining, and to see the regions and communities in which the company operates benefit from its presence.

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