Environmental groups are suing the federal government for signing off on the construction and expansion of an open-pit copper and molybdenum mine in Arizona that they say has for years pumped up too much groundwater, stressing nearby waters and sensitive habitats.
Earthjustice and the Western Mining Action Project filed a lawsuit last week against the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona for approving the expansion of Canada-based Capstone Copper’s Pinto Valley mine east of Phoenix in 2021. The mine is slated to operate through 2039.
The Interior Department declined to comment when asked about the legal challenges, and Capstone Copper did not immediately respond.
The groups argue the agencies approved of the project despite evidence showing extensive groundwater pumping tied to the mine is drying up the nearby Pinto Creek in the Tonto National Forest.
