Rep. Grijalva Responds to Forest Service Approval of Hermosa Mine Project; Sounds Alarm About FAST-41 Expansion

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Adelita S. Grijalva released the following statement after the Coronado National Forest approved South32 Hermosa Inc. Critical Minerals Project Exploration and Mine Plan of Operations, clearing the way for work to begin within the Patagonia Mountains of Southern Arizona, a world-class biodiversity hotspot with an extraordinary range of wildlife and plant species.
Rep. Grijalva previously wrote a letter to Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz highlighting the concerns voiced by local residents, including risks to groundwater, public health, and the region’s fragile environment, as well as frustration with a process lacking transparency and meaningful opportunity for input. She also penned an op-ed in the Patagonia Regional Times outlining her concerns with the project.
Just yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would make all mining and mineral processing projects eligible for coverage under FAST-41 , an expedited federal permitting process, not just those involving critical minerals. The Hermosa Mine project is the first mining project in the country approved under the FAST-41 process.
“The FAST-41 approval of the Hermosa Mine project sets a dangerous precedent, as exemplified by a rushed review which ignored critical risks to groundwater, public health, and the region’s fragile ecosystem. Once the harm is inflicted, it cannot be undone. Unfortunately, Congress has ignored all the warning signs and chosen to expand this failed program, jeopardizing millions of acres of pristine public lands across the country.”
###