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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Aluminum Dynamics has announced that it is pulling out of Benson and will not build its controversial aluminum smelting plant.
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The company had planned to construct a 200-acre facility, but saw severe pushback from the community and the eventual recall of three council members.
More than 3,700 people signed a petition against building the plant early on, but the plan went ahead anyway.
That’s why in August, the Committee for a Better Benson started the recall petition.
The recall effort centered on what residents claimed was a mishandling of planning and zoning surrounding the plant.
The people spoke, and Ross Kaplowitch, Derrick Fenn, and Mark Boyle were elected to the council and later sworn in to the Benson City Council on Monday, June 8. The three ousted Patrick Boyle, Darren Hayes, and Levi Johnson.
Councilmember Nick Maldonado was also facing a recall, but he ran unopposed and kept his job. The Committee for a Better Benson also attempted to recall Benson Mayor Joe Konrad but could not get enough signatures.
And yes, Mark Boyle is the brother of Patrick Boyle, and didn’t mince his words about how the plant’s approval was handled.
“They handled that terribly, and then when we called them on it,” Mark Boyle said.
Aluminum Dynamics said they will develop the facility in another location.
“Given the project’s timeline and the anticipated need for recycled aluminum slabs beginning in 2027, Aluminum Dynamics, Inc. determined it was prudent to proceed with an alternative location,” said Steel Dynamics spokesperson Tricia Meyers.
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Attorney General Kris Mayes is also investigating the city over possible public meeting violations.
It is a rare win for communities pushing back on things like data centers and refineries in their area.
In Pima County, several groups have tried to stop Project Blue, a data center being built on Houghton Road near the fairgrounds.
In Marana, groups have tried to stop a data center planned near the airport
Both data centers are being built by Beale Infrastructure. Last month, Beale withdrew its application for a data center in Kansas that sparked opposition.
Save the Scenic Santa Ritas has spent years fighting against the Hudbay Copper World Mine in the Santa Rita Mountains.
The Center for Biological Diversity has, for years, fought to protect the environment, most recently focusing on the issues of building a border wall.
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