The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rejected an air pollution permit for developing the South 32 Hermosa mine in the Patagonia Mountains south of Tucson.
A recent decision found that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality did not comply with the federal Clean Air Act, because it failed to assure adequate monitoring of air pollution.
ADEQ must revise the permit in order to comply with federal regulations.
The order follows a legal petition filed by the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance, Center for Biological Diversity and other groups.
The state approved the South32 Hermosa mine’s air pollution permit last August, despite opposition from local residents.
