The Cochise County Board of Supervisors is directing the Cochise County Attorney's Office to investigate whether Attorney General Kris Mayes exceeded her legal authority in connection with the collapse of a proposed Aluminum Dynamics Inc. (ADI) recycling plant in Benson.
The company had already received permits from the City of Benson and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) before announcing it would build the facility in Mississippi instead, citing unspecified differences with state officials.
During a Tuesday meeting, it was discussed that Mayes' office had asked ADEQ in January to reopen ADI's already-approved permit process, and that ADEQ responded that its permitting process had followed state law and that it would not reopen its review.
It was also noted that Mayes' office had previously found that Benson's Planning and Zoning Commission did not violate open meeting laws in connection with the project.
Before voting, the board amended its request, broadening the investigation's scope from ADI alone to businesses generally operating in Cochise County.
The county attorney's office is expected to pursue public records requests and report findings back to the board, with no timeline set.
The board's discussion took place in open session, despite the meeting being scheduled as a possible executive session.
The board's action does not constitute a finding against Mayes.
KGUN 9 will update this story with any response.
