Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 28, 2026
Arizona AG Backs Independent Review of South32 Hermosa Water Impacts
TLDR
- Calabasas Alliance's pressure on South32 Hermosa Project could give opponents a strategic edge by forcing independent water-impact scrutiny.
- The Arizona Attorney General's office acknowledged community data on groundwater dewatering and supports an independent examination of the South32 Hermosa Project's water effects.
- This push for transparent science aims to protect Southern Arizona's water and public health from irreversible damage, making tomorrow safer.
- High-volume dewatering could create a cone of depression that threatens wells and Patagonia Lake, making independent hydrologic analysis urgent.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because it signals that Arizona’s top legal office is paying attention to the groundwater dewatering and water-quality risks posed by the South32 Hermosa Project. For residents of Santa Cruz County and Southern Arizona, the acknowledgment from Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office lends credibility to community concerns and reinforces the call for independent, transparent science. High-volume dewatering could lower groundwater levels, threaten private wells, and reduce surface flows around Patagonia Lake—resources that local communities, agriculture, and ecosystems depend on. By supporting a careful, independent examination, the Attorney General’s office helps ensure that decisions about the project are based on verified data rather than project-sponsored modeling. This is a critical step toward protecting Southern Arizona’s water resources before irreversible damage occurs, and it empowers residents to demand accountability and science-based safeguards for their health and environment.
Summary
Calabasas Alliance has released a statement from the Office of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes acknowledging community concerns about groundwater dewatering and water-quality impacts linked to the South32 Hermosa Project, as well as other pollution and public health issues in Santa Cruz County. The statement follows the submission of background information, data, and letters from community members. To view the full announcement, including downloadable images, bios, and more, click here.
The Attorney General’s office acknowledged and closely monitors community concerns about groundwater dewatering and water-quality impacts from the South32 Hermosa Project and supports a careful, independent examination of effects on Southern Arizona’s water resources. Community members, technical experts, and researchers have identified gaps in assessing long-term dewatering effects, contaminant pathways, and cumulative impacts on aquifers and surface waters. This has prompted Calabasas Alliance to demand transparent, independently verified science rather than reliance on project-sponsored modeling. Local leaders warn that high-volume dewatering could create a cone of depression that lowers groundwater levels, threatens wells and surface flows around Patagonia Lake, and necessitates immediate independent hydrologic analysis to secure protections before irreversible damage occurs.
Calabasas Alliance is a grass-roots community-based organization dedicated to protecting land, air and water resources, public health, and quality of life in Santa Cruz County and throughout Southern Arizona. The NGO works in the environmental and public health space through education, community engagement, and advocacy. It participates as the principal community partner for the Arizona State University/University of Arizona AirSMART air-quality monitoring program and is a member of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Citizen Science Alliance. Recently, the organization received a mobile water-testing laboratory through Arizona State University's Water for All program. The Alliance is a stakeholder in University forums on PFAS and participates in the Arizona Rural Water Working Group. The Alliance collaborates with other groups around the state that are striving for similar natural resource protections, all with the health and well-being of their fellow-citizens.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content distributed by Reportable. Read the original source here, Arizona AG Backs Independent Review of South32 Hermosa Water Impacts
