My Community

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What Environmental Issues

Are in My Community?

Revised On: Dec. 17th, 2024 - 05:56 am

To better serve the people of Arizona, ADEQ created My Community to provide information about environmental issues, plus actions to address them, in your community. This easy-to-use online tool lets you quickly learn about what’s important to you and your family.

My Community strengthens ADEQ’s ability to transparently share our work's scale, scope, and progress to protect Arizona's public health and the environment. It is part of ADEQ’s continuous efforts to identify and resolve environmental issues more effectively and efficiently.

To use My Community, click the following subjects of interest and follow the link to additional pages or maps and search for your county, or enter your address or location of interest in the search bar of our interactive eMaps. Unfamiliar with eMaps? | View User Guide > 

Air Quality

Air Monitor Data | View >

Community Air Quality Monitoring Projects | Learn More >

ADEQ meteorologists issue air quality forecasts for pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter based on data collected at state-monitoring sites. These forecasts help inform the public when unhealthy pollution levels are anticipated | View Forecasts >

 

Nonattainment areas are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to have air quality monitoring data for criteria pollutants above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) outlined in the Clean Air Act. These areas are designated conservatively and are not necessarily exceeding | Learn More >

  • 2024 Revised Primary (Health-Based) National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM 2.5 | Learn More > 

As part of ADEQ’s ongoing commitment to increase transparency about its environmental permitting activities, everyone can conveniently get information about what environmental permits ADEQ is working on in their neighborhood using the Individual Permits in Process (PIP) interactive map and reporting tool | Learn More >

Water Quality

For Drinking Water, you can: 

For Groundwater and Water Reuse you can: 

  • Look at permitted facilities that are not in compliance | View eMap > 

For PFAS concerns, you can: 

In this section, you can learn about surface water issues in your community by viewing an eMap, learn more about surface water, and see what fish are okay to eat and what sites are under remediation. 

  • Surface Water View >
  • Learn about Surface Water | Learn More >
  • Review the Green Light Fisheries & Fish Consumption Advisories | See List >
  • Learn about a site that is currently in remediation | Learn More >

As part of ADEQ’s ongoing commitment to increase transparency about its environmental permitting activities, everyone can conveniently get information about what environmental permits ADEQ is working on in their neighborhood using the Individual Permits in Process (PIP) interactive map and reporting tool | Learn More >

Waste Programs (sites of concern and/or cleanups)

DOD Sites

These sites are located at either active duty bases or bases being closed under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) regulations and formerly used defense sites that are eligible for funding under the Installation Restoration Program that ADEQ oversees | View Site List > 

FUDS Sites

There are 141 eligible properties in the Arizona FUDS inventory. As of June 2022, USACE has identified 62 FUDS projects within the inventory requiring priority investigation and potential cleanup | Learn More > 

As part of ADEQ’s ongoing commitment to increase transparency about its environmental permitting activities, everyone can conveniently get information about what environmental permits ADEQ is working on in their neighborhood using the Individual Permits in Process (PIP) interactive map and reporting tool | Learn More >

The following is a list of sites with known Hazardous Waste contamination that needs cleanup: 

Coconino County

  • Arizona Army National Guard Camp Navajo | View Site > 

Maricopa County

Santa Cruz County

Pinal County

Yuma County

Counties with no sites at this time: 

  • Apache County

  • Cochise County
  • Gila County
  • Graham County
  • Greenlee County
  • La Paz County
  • Mohave County
  • Navajo County
  • Pima County
  • Yavapai County

Heritage Environmental Services | View >

The following is a list of sites with Solid Waste contamination that need cleanup:

Maricopa County

Pima County

Counties with no sites at this time:

  • Apache County 
  • Cochise County
  • Coconino County 
  • Gila County
  • Graham County 
  • GreenLee County 
  • La Paz County
  • Mohave County 
  • Navajo County 
  • Pinal County
  • Santa Cruz County 
  • Yavapai County
  • Yuma County

 

Leaking USTs in Arizona

The following map shows where confirmed leaking UST sites requiring cleanup are located in Arizona. Please note the name of the current facility is listed on the map; due to business and property sales over time, the current facility may not be the responsible party at the time the leak occurred. A Public Records request may be submitted for information on the actual responsible party of the leaking UST  |  View Map >

Site/Facility of Interest

Facility Information

The Copper World Project is located approximately 28 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona in Pima County and about 12 miles southeast of Sahuarita, Arizona. The Copper World Project will be developed as an open-pit mining operation. Both sulfide and oxide ore will be mined and beneficiated. The project will include a milling and flotation circuit for the processing of sulfide ore, along with conventional tailings disposal. A heap leach facility (HLF) is planned that includes a lined heap leach pad (HLP) and associated lined ponds for the leaching of copper from oxide ore. The project also includes a solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX-EW) plant for processing of copper-rich solutions from the heap leach circuit and from a separate copper concentrate leach circuit. Sulfuric acid will be produced by an onsite sulfuric acid plant.

Location

9025 E. Santa Rita Road
Sahuarita, Arizona 85629

Permitting and Compliance

  • Air Quality Permits and Compliance | View >
  • Water Quality Permits and Compliance | View >

Public Participation

The public comment period for the proposal to issue an air quality control permit to Copper World, Inc. for the construction and operation of the Copper World Project is July 15, 2024 – Sept. 15, 2024, | View Public Notice >

  • On Sept. 10, 2024, ADEQ held an in-person public hearing to accept formal public comments on the draft permit.
  • On Aug. 14, 2024, ADEQ held an informal community meeting to discuss the draft air quality permit | View Fact Sheet > | View Presentation >
  • On March 5, 2024, ADEQ held a public hearing for the public to comment in person on the draft permit. Both the informal community meeting and public hearing were held at Corona Foothills Middle School, 16705 S. Houghton Rd., Vail, AZ 85641.
  • On Feb. 20, 2024, ADEQ held an informal community meeting to discuss the permit | View Fact Sheet > 

  • The public notice comment period began on Jan. 5, 2024, and was extended to April 10, 2024, | View > 


Facility Information

The Minerals Research, Inc. (MRI) facility processes historical copper smelter slag (i.e., waste matter remnants) to produce a variety of products, including abrasive blasting media, roofing granules, and pavement aggregate. 

MRI’s operations include drilling and explosive blasting of the slag pile, primary and secondary crushing and screening, stockpiling of crushed slag, drying and screening, and product storage and unloading MRI Website | Learn More > 

Location

705 East Birch Street
Cottonwood, AZ 86326

Permitting

  • Air Permits and Compliance | View >

Public Participation

Background

In September 2023, ADEQ issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to MRI based on a determination that the company did not have the appropriate air quality permit for its operations. At that time, MRI was operating under a General Air Quality Permit for Crushing and Screening. The NOV required the company to submit an application for an Individual (Class II) Air Quality Permit. Due to the extensive timeframe and process for considering and reaching a decision on the new permit application required, ADEQ and MRI agreed to enter into a legally binding agreement called a Consent Order. The Consent Order was executed on Oct. 12, 2023, and specified interim, stringent operational limits and air pollution control requirements that MRI must implement at the facility to protect public health. ADEQ terminated this Consent Order on Feb. 21, 2024, revoking MRI's authorization to operate its Cottonwood facility based on certified results that showed the facility failed a performance test. This failed performance test indicated the facility was not meeting a strict emission limit condition in the Consent Order. ADEQ believed this termination effectively revoked MRI’s right to operate its facility. 

In response to ADEQ’s termination of MRI’s Consent Order, MRI served ADEQ with a lawsuit, including a request for a temporary restraining order, in Yavapai County. After evaluating its legal options to this lawsuit, ADEQ entered into a settlement agreement with MRI on Feb. 28, 2024, and revoked MRI’s coverage under the General Air Quality Permit for Crushing and Screening. Under state law (Arizona Administrative Code R18-2-510(d)), pursuant to ADEQ’s General Permit coverage revocation, MRI has the legal ability to operate its plant under the shield of its pending Individual (Class II) Air Quality Permit application that was submitted to ADEQ on Oct. 31, 2023 and subsequently deemed complete. 

MRI’s operations must be conducted in accordance with all applicable state and federal Clean Air Act requirements. ADEQ will continue to conduct required onsite inspections to ensure the facility’s operations maintain compliance.

  • Notice of Violation | View >
  • Consent Order | View > 
  • Termination of Consent Order | View >

Press Releases

  • Air Quality Permits and Compliance | View > 
  • Water Quality Permits and Compliance | View > 

  • Air Quality Permits and Compliance | View >

 

  • Air Quality Permits and Compliance | View> 
  • Water Quality Permits and Compliance | View> 

ADEQ supports environmentally responsible economic growth and provides Arizonans, businesses and communities with access to information and certain financial assistance programs. ADEQ supports equal access, meaningful involvement and fair treatment to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to developing, implementing and enforcing environmental laws, regulations and policies that protect and enhance public health and Arizona’s unique environment. ADEQ also offers opportunities for all individuals and communities to manage their environmental exposures through the comprehensive, transparent data and resources we provide.

In addition to My Community, ADEQ provides tools and resources to increase accessibility to data. We also notify and invite public participation in committee/commission/community meetings and environmental permitting and decision-making.

Learn more about ADEQ's environmental permitting process:

Access public involvement opportunities, information, and key resources:

The ​data shown within our My Community pages is pulled on the third week of the month and published within the first week of the following month.  To the best of our knowledge, the information shown is accurate and true about the agency's concerns about environmental or public health impacts. ​If you feel the information is not correct, please get in touch with us.

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