SILVER
CITY — The Center for Biological Diversity filed a notice of intent to
sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act
for its approval of a controversial open pit copper mine in the heart of
the home territory of El Jefe,
America’s only known jaguar. The agency issued a formal biological
opinion in April that would allow the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine in
southern Arizona to harm or kill El Jefe and destroy his home, despite
the fact that it’s located in protected “critical habitat” on public
land that’s essential to the recovery of jaguars in the United States.
"If
we want jaguars like El Jefe to roam wild again in the mountains of the
American Southwest, we must protect places like Rosemont,” said Randy
Serraglio, conservation advocate with the center. “Rosemont is not only
prime jaguar habitat — as El Jefe proved by living there the past few
years — it’s also a critically important movement corridor for all
jaguars that attempt to return to ancestral territories in the U.S.”
The
Rosemont mine would create a mile-wide, 3,000-foot-deep open pit in El
Jefe’s home territory and bury thousands of acres of surrounding public
land with more than a billion tons of toxic mine waste. The mine would
also pump a vast amount of groundwater, which threatens to dry up
springs and creeks in the area that are critically important to jaguars
and several other protected species. In draft biological opinions, Fish
and Wildlife’s own scientists concluded that the mine should not be
permitted, but the agency ignored their findings in issuing its
approval.
“The Rosemont mine would be a fatal blow for an array of
plants and animals already teetering on the brink of extinction,” said
Serraglio. “Jaguars can’t survive without water and neither can the
endangered fish and frogs living in the area’s creeks and springs. The
fact is, there’s no way they’ll be able to escape Rosemont’s
destruction.”
Independent studies have shown that the Rosemont
mine will likely do far more damage to southern Arizona’s dwindling
water sources than was originally claimed, and there’s no guarantee the
company’s mitigation plan will offer any benefits at all.
“With a
glut of copper on the global market and the industry in a free fall,
there’s no rational argument for this mine,” said Serraglio. “We’re long
past the bad old days of trading short-term economic benefits for
permanent environmental destruction. In the 21st century, southern
Arizona’s economy is driven by scenic vistas, outdoor recreation, and
the thrill of visiting places where jaguars and an amazing diversity of
other plants and animals live.”
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