"Saving the Patagonias" for The Intercept

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"Saving the Patagonias" for The Intercept

molly peters

Jul 6, 2023

Location: Patagonia, AZ

I'm excited to share my latest story for "The Intercept," written by Ryan Devereaux, which just published last Friday. In the Patagonia Mountains, the area with the highest biodiversity in North America, the Biden administration has fast-tracked permits for a so-called "green energy" mine, with potentially devastating effects on the environment and the many endangered species that live in this unique ecosystem.

A lawsuit filed on June 20, 2023 in federal court led by a local citizen group, Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA), Earth Justice, and the Western Mining Action Project, with co-plaintiffs including Center for Biological Diversity, Earthworks, and the Tucson Audubon Society, against the US Forest Service and the supervisor of Coronado National Forest, alleges a series of violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act through their expedited permitting process for the mine.

Please take a moment to read the full story here. You can see more photos from the story on my website.

Biden Fast-Tracked a Green Energy Mine in One of Earth’s Rarest Ecosystems. Arizona Locals Took It to Court.
President Joe Biden fast-tracked a mine for a green energy project in Arizona’s Patagonia Mountains. It could devastate the ecosystem.

Molly Peters Photography

Molly Peters is a Tucson-based photographer working in fine art photography and documentary storytelling.