On Friday, August 24, 2023, a hearing was held on a Motion for Injunction by PARA along with seven conservation organizations in a lawsuit against the Forest Service for issuing exploratory permits to Arizona Standard (a US corporation wholly owned by Canadian exploratory company Barksdale Resources) for the Sunnyside Project, and to Arizona Minerals (a US corporation wholly owned by Australian mining company South32). At the conclusion of the hearing, the judge stated that she would take the documents and evidence under advisement and issue her decision shortly.
On Tuesday, Sept. 5, the judge ruled against the plaintiffs in the joint lawsuit challenging the Forrest Service on the permits issued to S32 and Barksdale for exploratory drilling.
Attorneys representing PARA along with the seven other the plaintiffs’ named in the case filed an appeal dated September 7, 2023.