MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Marana Town Council has approved a resolution supporting the Ironwood Forest National Monument and opposing a reduction of its boundaries for resource extraction.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors did the same earlier this year.
The Ironwood Forest National Monument is located about 25 miles northwest of Tucson and the two main ways in are through Marana.
It was created 25 years ago by then-President Bill Clinton by Presidential Proclamation. A report from The Washington Post earlier this year states that the Trump administration is considering shrinking six national monuments in the West to encourage energy developments.
In May, a legal opinion released by the Justice Department explains that if protections are not warranted, they can be eliminated.
In his first term, Trump reduced protections for three national monuments. They were later reversed by former President Joe Biden.
On Wednesday, August 6, the Marana Town Council unanimously voted in opposition to shrinking this monument for resource extraction, which Mayor Jon Post said there has been interest in.
“There has been an application from the mine that’s next door that they want to expand, and it would’ve taken up a great deal of the Ironwood Forest,” he said. “In fact, it would’ve taken up some of the more vulnerable parts of it.”
The Silver Bell Mine is operated by Asarco. KGUN 9 reached out to them for comment, but we haven’t heard back yet.
In an interview in May with Scripps News Group Phoenix, Steve Trussell, Executive Director of the Arizona Mining Association, said modern mining and conservation can coexist.
“I think there’s a perception of historic mining versus today’s mining,” Trussell said. “Does mining disturb the ground? Yes, it does. And can we reclaim that to a usable condition? Absolutely.”
A few community members, including Friends of Ironwood Forest Board Member Jackie Craig, spoke at Wednesday night’s council meeting in support of the monument.
“We consider Marana one of our most important partners, because of your proximity, because of your focus on ecotourism and recreation,” Craig said during the call to the public.
According to the resolution, the monument is an important contributor to the town’s travel tourism and outdoor recreation industries, with an estimated 100,000 visitors a year.
“We get a lot of tourism that goes there, a lot of locals enjoy the beauty of it, and the last thing we want to see is a mine that just works its way across all that monument, Post said.
KGUN 9 reached out to the Bureau of Land Management regarding any applications, but we haven’t heard back yet.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
