A federal appeals court has ruled that regulators were wrong to conclude that parts of Pima County slated for a copper mine are critical to the preservation of endangered jaguars.
Cronkite News reports that yesterday’s ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturns a lower court decision and revives hopes for the Rosemont Copper mine.
Opponents called the decision “disappointing” as it puts endangered jaguars at risk. However, supporters say the mine would bring hundreds of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue to the region.
The ruling is only the latest development in the 16-year saga to develop an open-pit mine in the Santa Rita Mountains. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first ruled in 2016 that the mine could proceed even though it sits on land that has been designated as critical habitat for the jaguar’s survival.