Save the Patagonia Mountains!

The Patagonia Mountains are a part of the Madrean Archipelago of the Sky Island region of Southern Arizona and New Mexico and Northern Sonora, Mexico. The range provides habitat for over 100 special status species, including the threatened Mexican spotted owl, and is a known critical wildlife corridor for the jaguar and other large mammals.

Arizona Minerals, Inc. (AMI), a subsidiary of Wildcat Silver, has submitted a new proposal for extensive mineral exploration activities in the Patagonia Mountains. These activities include conducting drilling activities, digging test pits, pumping an estimated 300,000 gallons of groundwater precious to the region from the local aquifer, and driving construction equipment cross-country rather than on established roads, an activity that is strictly prohibited on the Coronado National Forest. The project is also expected to devastate Harshaw Creek, a biologically rich riparian area recently designated as a "municipal watershed" for the town of Patagonia.

The Coronado National has released a Notice of Intent to prepare a simple environmental assessment, which will not be adequate to determine the full environmental impact of this project. Sign this petition and tell the Coronado National Forest they need to perform a full Environmental Impact Statement in order to fully measure the effect of the proposed activities.