[ADEQ Media] ADEQ Announces Draft Water Quality Permit for ASARCO Mining Operations in Hayden

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

ADEQ Announces Draft Water Quality Permit for ASARCO Mining Operations
in Hayden 

PHOENIX (Sept. 29, 2008) - Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Director Steve Owens announced today that ADEQ has proposed a draft
water quality permit to ensure that ASARCO's mining operations in Hayden
and Winkelman are in compliance with current water quality laws and
regulations. 

"This is a strong permit that will protect precious groundwater
resources in the area and ensure that Asarco operates in compliance with
Arizona's current water quality laws," Director Owens said. 

The permit, known as an Aquifer Protection Permit (APP), is proposed for
the ASARCO LLC-Hayden Operations facilities in Pinal County.  The permit
will ensure that the company uses the best available control technology
to minimize pollution from its activities, including copper smelting,
sulfuric acid generation and loading stations, landfill operations, and
tailings impoundments. All of these activities have the potential to
pollute the area's groundwater.  The permit will require ASARCO to
protect the area aquifer from pollution.

In addition, the draft permit requires the company to submit to ADEQ a
municipal wastewater disposal plan, which will include a plan to stop
the wastewater discharge to tailings impoundments within a year of the
permit's issue.  Currently, the company is discharging raw sewage from
the local communities into the tailings impoundment.  ADEQ has been
working with local officials to help develop a plan for proper
wastewater treatment and disposal.

The permit regulates the mine for current and future operations,
including the closing and post-closing periods.  It also requires the
company to prove that it has the financial capability to operate the
mine. 

ADEQ will accept public comments on the draft permit through Oct. 17.
Comments on the draft permit can be sent to Steve Vevang, ADEQ,
Groundwater Section, 1110 West Washington Street, MC5415B-3, Phoenix, AZ
85007.

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News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

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