By Tony Davis | Arizona Daily Star
Opponents of the Rosemont Mine clashed with the mining company and a state agency Monday over whether the state can deny a permit to the mine if it’s shown to have the potential to violate clean-air standards.
At a Superior Court hearing, the various parties also argued over whether the mining company properly used computer modeling to show the mine would meet the standards. Both sides accused the other of selectively choosing data to make their case.
At stake is a permit the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality issued nearly two years ago to allow the mine to operate in the Santa Rita Mountains, about 30 miles southeast of Tucson. The permit issue has bounced around for more than three years between the state and Pima County governments since the mining company applied for it.