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Pima County: Major Building and construction Plans
Marana Data Center ON-GOING
Santa Rita Mount. Open Pit Mine ON GOING
Santa Rita Mount. Open Pit Mine ON GOING
On 01/08/26, The Marana Town Council unanimously approved rezoning roughly 600 acres for a proposed data center complex despite significant public opposition.
More than 50 residents spoke in the packed council chambers during a four‑hour hearing, with many warning that the project lacks firm guarantees from Beale Infrastructure, Tucson Electric Power, or Trico regarding environmental impacts, water and energy demands, and potential cost burdens on ratepayers.
Residents questioned loopholes in Marana’s 2024 data center ordinance and argued that Beale has not provided binding assurances that the project will not strain local resources or shift infrastructure expenses onto the public. Concerns focused on water use, massive electrical demand, air quality, and the proximity to sensitive areas such as the Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery.
Supporters—largely construction workers—emphasized projected job creation, including 4,200 construction jobs and 400 permanent positions. Beale stated the centers would use air‑cooling systems and that they intend to pay for required electrical upgrades, but no enforceable commitments were presented. Each site is expected to require 550–750 megawatts of power at full build‑out, raising fears of long‑term environmental and financial impacts on the community.
Despite unresolved questions, the council approved both rezoning applications in a disappointing six and zero vote.
Click here to view the council meeting. Forward to 404.00 hear council comments. Forward to 422.00 to hear the vote.
LDA will continue to monitor this issue and keep our members informed. A zoning approval is not a permit approval. The fight does not stop here!
To keep informed of ongoing events and information, become a member of the Living Desert Alliance by signing up for our weekly newsletter at Living Desert Alliance, no dues required.
Santa Rita Mount. Open Pit Mine ON GOING
Santa Rita Mount. Open Pit Mine ON GOING
Santa Rita Mount. Open Pit Mine ON GOING
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is currently reviewing a permit from Hudbay's Copper World mining complex. This project is for the construction and operation of an open-pit copper mine (26 square miles) located in and around the pristine Santa Rita Mountains in Pima County, Arizona.
This 20-year “Copper World-Rosemont” open pit mining plan, if approved, will destroy the Northern Santa Rita Mountains changing, its majestic appearance forever and contaminating surrounding environment and communities. Approximately 2.5 miles of the mountain top will be removed forever as well as surrounding land, leaving tons of poisonous tailings, a contaminated water table and unhealthy air quality lasting generations.
Click below to learn more:
Save the Santa Rita Mtns | Living Desert Alliance
UPDATE:
01/09/26: Save the Scenic Santa Ritas has rescheduled a community meeting to discuss the impact of the proposed Copper World mine’s massive groundwater pumping on the area aquifer to 1 p.m., Jan. 31, at the Sahuarita Unified School District Auditorium.
The community meeting was originally scheduled for Jan. 10.
SSSR postponed the meeting after sending a Dec. 30 letter to the Sahuarita Town Council requesting the town to immediately determine if Toronto-based Hudbay Minerals is in violation of a 2013 agreement to replenish 105% of the groundwater Copper World will use with Central Arizona Project water. The agreement requires Hudbay to replenish the aquifer beneath Sahuarita and the immediate surrounding area.
SSSR also issued a Jan. 6 press release describing the 2013 Right-of-Way Encroachment Agreement signed by Rosemont Copper Company. Hudbay purchased Rosemont Copper in 2014.
To keep informed of ongoing events and information, become a member of the Living Desert Alliance by signing up for our weekly newsletter at Living Desert Alliance, no dues required.
Project Blue 290-acre Data Center
Santa Rita Mount. Open Pit Mine ON GOING
City of Benson’s Aluminum Plant ON GOING
After Pima County approved the sale and rezoning of land needed to support Project Blue, a $3.6 billion data center, on a 290-acre campus, slated for construction southeast of Tucson, its fate rested on the City of Tucson approving annexation of the land into city limits so that the Tucson Water utility could provide water needed to support the project.
Fortunately, on August 6th, 2025, the annexation was unanimously rejected by the mayor and all council members on multiple levels, including water use, energy demands, and environmental impact.
Despite this win for the citizens and the environment, the plan does not stop here. The builders have alternate plans and lots of money to support them and will continue their efforts to build a total of three countywide.
For now, things are on hold, but new plans by the developer are in the works.
UPDATE: 01/06/26: KJZZ NEWS
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has asked the Arizona Corporation Commission to reconsider its decision to grant an energy agreement for Project Blue.
Mayes claims the deal is unconstitutional because only the commission has the authority to set rates of private power companies.
Tucson also filed for a rehearing recently, claiming the city was denied the chance to participate in the ratemaking process.
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Click any link below to learn more!
Project Blue: An Analysis - Google Docs
Tucson Mountains Association: Project Blue Energy and Water Use Alert.
Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection Project Blue: The facts and our concerns.
Watershed Management Group | Working together towards sustainable solutions
To keep informed of ongoing events and information, become a member of the Living Desert Alliance by signing up for our weekly newsletter at Living Desert Alliance, no dues required.
City of Benson’s Aluminum Plant ON GOING
Private Airfield expansion: Marana ON GOING
City of Benson’s Aluminum Plant ON GOING
The +200-acre, 170,000sf industrial building plant is planned for AZ Highway 80 across from 7th street in Benson and extends to the San Pedro River.
The 24/7 plant projected to process 300,000 tons of aluminum annually. Aluminum production has significant environmental impacts, primarily due to the energy-intensive processes involved in mining bauxite and refining it into aluminum, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, mining can lead to habitat destruction, water pollution from runoff, risk of human contamination, air pollution, loud industrial traffic, and noise.
To get an idea of how the plant could impact the area and a community, watch this video.
This is no joke folks! It must be stopped.
- Click here to learn how the citizens of Benson are rallying to overturn this project.
- Click here to sign a petition to SAVE Our Health & Our River from Industrial Harm in Benson, AZ. Over 3000 signatures as on January 2026
- Click here to view local residents voice their concerns during Herald Review interview.
To keep informed of ongoing events and information, become a member of the Living Desert Alliance by signing up for our weekly newsletter at Living Desert Alliance, no dues required.
Private Airfield expansion: Marana ON GOING
Private Airfield expansion: Marana ON GOING
Private Airfield expansion: Marana ON GOING
410 Acre Private Airfield Construction proposed north of Manville Rd. in Marana.
On Tuesday, July 1st, 2025, more than two dozen neighboring property owners and other interested community members attended a public meeting presented by Lazarus & Silvyn, P.C. (LSPC).
The meeting was scheduled to share information about Marana Tactical Flight, LLC’s, intent to construct a private airfield on approximately 410 acres of undeveloped land on property located north of Manville Rd., in Marana. According to the LSPC meeting notice, the airfield would be built to serve as a "backup facility for the parachuting instruction and training program serving U.S. and allied military, currently occurring at Marana Regional Airport."
The after presentation, Q&A lasted well over an hour as residents’ voiced concerns over noise, traffic, flights per day, environmental impact, flood plan impact, hours of operation, future growth, trespassing by parachutist blown off course, night operations, military personal and equipment operations near and on private property, emergency preparedness/response, and much more.
LSPC did their best to answer questions, but many times were vague, non-committal, and/or unsure. They promised to investigate each concern and provide reference to each in a revised plan.
To keep informed of ongoing events and information, become a member of the Living Desert Alliance by signing up for our weekly newsletter at Living Desert Alliance, no dues required.
Ironwood Forest Nat'l Monument ON GOING
Private Airfield expansion: Marana ON GOING
Private Airfield expansion: Marana ON GOING
For 25 years, this stretch of 129,000 acres of the Sonoran Desert north of Tucson, Arizona, has been protected as a haven for scientific research, and a buffer against the expansion of existing or new mines to the area. But the monument’s protections may be reduced in size to make way for more development and extraction due to copper mining interests in the area and the lack of protection by the current federal administration.
Ironwood Forest—named the Ironwood tree that’s famed for its centuries-long lifespan and vital importance to the Sonoran Desert ecosystem— must be protected.
On April 28, 2025, Friends of Ironwood Forest (Ironwood Forest), in collaboration with Archaeology Southwest and the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, issued a press release addressing alarming news reports that the current administration is preparing to reduce the size of several national monuments, including Ironwood Forest National Monument.
Although no official action has yet been taken, they believe it is critical to act swiftly. Friends of Ironwood Forest is working to raise public awareness and send a clear message to decision-makers: "Ironwood Forest National Monument is an irreplaceable ecological and cultural treasure, vital to the health of the Sonoran Desert and deeply valued by the community.
We are committed to ensuring that Ironwood Forest remains protected for future generations."
Read the press release here.
The Living Desert Alliance will work closely with environmental organizations such as the Friends of the Ironwood Forest to stop any action that would reduce the footprint of this amazing desert forest.
To keep informed of ongoing events and information, become a member of the Living Desert Alliance by signing up for our weekly newsletter at Living Desert Alliance, no dues required.