State Land Auction

If the governor and the Arizona State Department of Land director auction off 2 parcels Hudbay wants, it will make it easier for them to dump tailings by residences and an elementary school.

10/3/2023

Arizona State Land Department Auction Fact Sheet

Right now, we urgently need your help by writing a letter to the governor asking that she put the kibosh on Hudbay’s request that the Arizona State Land Department auction off two critical parcels of state trust land. To those of you who have already written, our heartfelt thanks, and no need to write again. If you haven’t already written, please help now.

Hudbay wants to buy at auction two parcels of state land on the west side of the Santa Ritas near the Santa Rita Experimental Range (see below map). These parcels will bring mine construction a big step closer by giving Hudbay easier access to private land where they could dump mine tailings near homes and a school. It will put a big crimp in their plans if the governor says no to the auction.

This is urgent because the state land department could greenlight the auction any day. We’re hoping for a flood of letters saying, “don’t sell.” Paper letters carry more weight than email.

We’ve attached two sample letters that you can adapt to suit your own thoughts. The more your letter is in your own voice, the better.

See the map below showing the two auction parcels within white circles. Hudbay particularly wants the southern circled parcel because it would allow them to easily get to the north-south orangey-brown strip of ranchland they recently bought.

Send a paper letter to the governor at:

Governor Katie Hobbs

400 West Congress St., Suite 504

Tucson AZ 85701

You also email your letter to the following southern Arizona staff members for the governor. They’ll make sure it’s forwarded on to the right people.

Marisol Flores-Aguirre: mfloresaguirre@az.gov

Patrick Robles probles@az.gov

Nathalia Untiveros: nuntiveros@az.gov

Figure 1. Blue with white circles = parcels Hudbay wants the Arizona State Land Department to auction. Orangey-brown = private land already bought by Hudbay. Big blue block to west = State trust land leased to the University of Arizona as an experimental range. Beige = BLM.