Save the Scenic Santa Ritas

  • Author:
    n/a
  • Send To:
    U.S. Forest Service
  • Sponsored By:
  • More Info at:
Are you the Author?
PETITION IN OPPOSITION TO MINING IN THE ROSEMONT VALLEY, SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS, ARIZONA


WHEREAS, the private property known as Rosemont Ranch in the Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona, is currently being considered for a copper mine; and

WHEREAS, this private property is located within and adjacent to the Coronado National Forest, and is in Pima County; and

WHEREAS, Pima County is working to preserve critical habitat and other areas of biological significance through the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan; and

WHEREAS, this property is located largely within the biological core management area of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, and within a watershed that drains to the proposed Santa Rita Mountain Park and the Davidson Canyon Nature Preserve, both designations proposed in the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan; and

WHEREAS, the lands being considered for mining are prime wildlife habitat, home to abundant game and non-game species such as deer, javelina, bats, mountain lion, quail, hawks, vultures, golden eagles, and songbirds; and

WHEREAS, threatened and endangered species, such as the Lesser Long-nosed Bat, and the Pima Pineapple Cactus, and other priority vulnerable species such as the Rufous-winged Sparrow, Bells Vireo and Lowland Leopard Frogs are known to inhabit this area; and

WHEREAS, this area is an important wildlife corridor and also has high open space values; and

WHEREAS, this area of the Santa Rita Mountains is used extensively by citizens of Pima County for recreation, including hiking, bird watching, bicycling, horseback riding, hunting and off-road vehicle use, among other activities; and

WHEREAS, the area being considered for mining is a core part of the viewscape along Scenic Highway SR 83 and would permanently disfigure the viewscape; and

WHEREAS, the goal of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan is to preserve the quality of life we enjoy in Pima County today for future generations; and

WHEREAS, a mine is not compatible with natural values and habitat; and

WHEREAS, copper mining elsewhere has historically been associated with air and water pollution (both surface and sub-surface); and

WHEREAS, mining on these lands will preclude future uses of these lands for generations to come; and

WHEREAS, the economic benefit of mining in this area does not outweigh the local citizens concern of the negative impacts to the adjacent Forest Service lands for a broad range of recreational activities and ecosystem health; and

WHEREAS, the public interest of Pima County and southern Arizona will thus, in sum, not be furthered by mining activities in this area.

NOW, THEREFORE, we the undersigned do hereby

1. Strongly oppose any mining activities in the Rosemont Ranch area of the Santa Rita Mountains.
2. Urge the U.S. Forest Service to reject any Mining Plan of Operations submitted by Augusta Resource Corporation for mining in the Santa Ritas based on the issues described above.
3. Urge the U.S. Forest Service to withdraw these lands from Mineral Entry to ensure their permanent protection from mining.

3046 Signatures

  • lucas
    • Comments
    • i masterbate to orlando bloom and i want to come to school with a ak 47 and kill everyone
  • skj;fskldjfsldf
    • Comments
    • i give you a message.. i am not your leader now, but i have overlooked your coruppt goverment and i think that i should be a leader. it think your are pathetic with your democracy and agruing about mountains bieng saved. i will take your country by force if i have to. your goverment has 48 hours to comply
  • asldfjsdlfd
    • Comments
    • your goverment has not responed to my message you now only have 24 hours, choose now or you will die
  • osama
    • Comments
    • i am still alive an i will place a bomb on the top of the mountain and blow it all to smitherins alllalllaa!!!!!!!!!!
  • emo k
    • Comments
    • i cut myself and cry myself to sleep and i get pissed off during love movies and my favoritie hobby is putting on lip stick oh wait this isnt emo chat online i am going to have to cut myself
  • stoner m
    • Comments
    • i like to eat eat eat apples and bannanas, i like to oat oat oat opples and bonnonos. suck my dick
  • chris h
    • Comments
    • my name is chris and i have glasses geus what i found lube with glitter in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • mrs s
    • Comments
    • blablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablablabla
  • Jo T
  • Eve B. L
    • Comments
    • The need for copper does not outweigh the need to proect the Santa Ritas. As evidence, witness the Morenci mine production and employee reduction.
  • Kathleen I
    • Comments
    • Please keep these mountains and all of the animals and plants who live there safe.
  • seth harris G
    • Comments
    • We cannot be shortsighted here. Our interests lay in tourism. These mines will lay waste to our home and our children's future!
  • Erin W
    • Comments
    • Improved recycling and even 'mining' our landfills are both more cost effective ways of getting copper, and they are much less-damaging to the environment.
  • Thomas D. F
  • Anthony S
    • Comments
    • Mining will harm our lives and the environment by contaminating the ground water, from which we get our drinking water, and will cause respiratory problems by polluting the air we breath with the dust it generates. We must conserve our water not waste it on mining.
  • Marita N
    • Comments
    • I can dig a number of ways that mining has destroyed ecosystems. Where do you want me to strart?
  • John R
    • Comments
    • Not a good idea, Arizona has lots of copper in Morenci we don't need it, it will just be a big mess with sulfuric acid in the last clean watershed in Pima county.
  • Feliciano L. L
    • Comments
    • Your Presiden Gayle Hartman made an excellent presenation at the Arizona Illustrated round table on July 24, 2009. I am available to help SSSR
  • Barbara L
    • Comments
    • My husband and I have experienced first-hand the destruction caused by open pit mining. Let us stop this destructive nonsense now!
  • Martin W. F
    • Comments
    • I am opposed to the development of this proposed copper mind so close to pre-existing residential areas, and in an irreplaceable natural and scenic area. In spite of plans to reclaim the land, it would be a generation before that is accomplished. It is also possible that the demand for and price of copper might not even remain at a level necessary to fulfill the promise to reclaim the land. The bottom line is that this particular proposed mine is unsuitable for the location in the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains!
  • Paul l
    • Comments
    • Any one who wants to build a mine in this fragile eco system is an insane psychopath. The psychopath is defined by an uninhibited gratification in (killing plants, and animials) criminal, sexual, or aggressive impulses and the inability to learn from past mistakes. Individuals with this disorder gain satisfaction through their antisocial behavior and lack remorse for their actions.
  • Andrea K
    • Comments
    • I wholeheartedly endorse the views in this petition and suggest that any person or government entity involved in the decision examine the permanently scarred and inadequately restored landscape behind Sycamore Canyon in the Corona de Tucson area or in Green Valley before giving a green light to the Rosemont Mine. If a mine scars this new area, no one but God Himself can re-create what we possess right now. No amount of copper is worth destroying the earth in this scenic locale. Please don't.
  • Robert H
    • Comments
    • The Santa Cruz Valley already has more than its share of effects from open pit mining.
  • Barbara J. R
    • Comments
    • We live just 3 miles North of Rosemont and just can't imagine the loss of this beautiful, recreational area. What a travesty! Our water table is iffy at best already, and their use of our water is just not responsible thinking. Danger on Hwy is a major concern considering they will operated 24/7 with large loads every 15 minutes. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!
  • Martha
    • Comments
    • Martha B. Hopkins As a former geologist with the USGS working with mineral deposits, I KNOW what this mine would do to one of the most aesthetically valuable areas in the US. I say NO, the so-called benefits are dwarfted by the true costs.
  • Sarah R
    • Comments
    • Please save the Santa Ritas for future generations to enjoy. Our natural lands are disappearing at an alarming rate.
  • Aries A
    • Comments
    • deplete water, pollute with toxins--don't allow it!!!
  • Bryan R
    • Comments
    • Ridiculous idea. Far from forward thinking. National Forest equals national Treasure, lets not destroy it.
  • Helen Kalcsits & Vivian B. L
    • Comments
    • Please stop them from raping our land for greed
  • j daniel g
  • .Elizabeth B. B
    • Comments
    • It is most important to protect all of the Santa Ritas, especially the future effect on the water sources.
  • Susan L. S
    • Comments
    • The area Rosemont proposes to mine should have been made a Preserve YEARS ago! I am strongly against the Rosemont proposal.
  • Garrett A
    • Comments
    • mule riders and camping family, don't want the area mined and ruined.
  • Ian W
    • Comments
    • Please stop the mine opening from occuring
  • Grant W
  • John R W
    • Comments
    • We can find a better way than this to use our public lands and a better place than this to mine copper.
  • Elizabeth C
    • Comments
    • Please don't start mining. It would deface the mts. that could never be returned to the beauty God has given us.
  • William C
    • Comments
    • When this recession is over we will still have to look at the damaged done with the mining.
  • Laura D
    • Comments
    • I've been camping and hiking in the Santa Ritas since I was little, it's a part of our town's history and we're lucky to have it. The Santa Ritas have to be preserved.
  • mason
    • Comments
    • our lord has blessed us with these beautiful mountains and we cant take advantage of it so I say nooooooooooo
  • Mason H
    • Comments
    • obamas healthcare reforms are dumb i dont think he knows what he is doing and now he messing with the santa ritas.......................... he must not know what state hes messing with hes a ****ass
  • Ryan C
    • Comments
    • these mountains, O' these beautiful mountains we have been blessed with, why take them away!!!!!!!!!!!!! God will be angry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. I AM GOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Alondra R
    • Comments
    • GO SANTA RITAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
  • Gregory
    • Comments
    • I strongly believe what our government is doing is total bull s**t. I blame Obama. Thank you for reading my fellow peers.
  • Mason H
    • Comments
    • What the government is doing is major bull s**t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Connor W
    • Comments
    • The santa ritas are a graet place you shouldnt destroy them I want them around Im gonna miss them so PLEASE dont destroy them
  • Connor W
    • Comments
    • I think mason huskey is the best ever Hes better than me Hes like a god to me Hes like an idol to me I LOVE HIM
  • Mason H
    • Comments
    • I no connor lovesd me he once tried to rape me He is seriously obsessed with me I told him to stop but he insisted for us to be together BUT I shot him down like a rocket
  • jon
    • Comments
    • i am sure to visit this school where these people are just trying to be funny! but this is serious business. just wait! i am thinking of calling the police on you immature kids!
  • Rachel S
    • Comments
    • The Santa Ritas should stay put. I do not think we should ruin such a beautiful landscape. S.OS........ Save Our Santa Ritas!!!!!!