EPA issues final approval for copper mining project in Utah

DENVER - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved an aquifer exemption request from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) that will allow the expansion of copper mining in a part of the Burro Canyon aquifer in San Juan County, Utah. Working with UDEQ, EPA determined that a limited portion of the Burro Canyon aquifer does not and will not serve as a source of drinking water. This determination will allow the Lisbon Valley Mining Company to expand current mining operations to include underground recovery of copper, a vital mineral, and aligns with bolstering American mineral production, a key priority for the Trump Administration.

EPA's decision aligns with the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM's) October 16, 2025, approval of expanded copper mining operations at the Lisbon Valley Copper Mine in San Juan County. The approved plan allows underground copper extraction that will boost total production to more than half a billion pounds of this essential mineral.

"EPA's approval of this aquifer exemption is an important step towards strengthening America's energy and mineral independence," said EPA Regional Administrator Cyrus Western. "This decision reflects EPA's commitment to advancing economic growth while maintaining strong environmental safeguards that protect our water for future generations."

The Underground Injection Control (UIC) program prohibits the injection of fluids into aquifers like Burro Canyon unless EPA exempts the portion containing commercially producible minerals, including copper, that can be dissolved and extracted. UDEQ issued a Class III injection well permit for this project and today, EPA approved the aquifer exemption.

"At DEQ, our responsibility to Utahns is simple: to ensure that the air is clean, the land is healthy, and the water is safe for future generations. This action, following a thorough review with our federal partners, supports an important domestic industry under conditions that strictly protect the integrity of our state's current and future drinking water sources," said UDEQ Executive Director Tim Davis. "This rigorous process ensures that we can responsibly support economic development and growth across the state, while simultaneously upholding our core mission to preserve Utah's precious land and water resources for the health and prosperity of generations to come."

The Lisbon Valley Copper Mine expansion is a transparency project under Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST-41) Act. Inclusion on the FAST-41 dashboard streamlines the permitting process by enhancing coordination among federal agencies through increased transparency.

Background
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) directs EPA to develop regulations to prevent underground injection that endangers potential drinking water sources. EPA regulations define underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) as aquifers with less than 10,000 mg/L total dissolved solids. However, recognizing that not all such aquifers are viable drinking water sources, the regulations include an exemption process. This allows removal of USDW protections from aquifers that meet specific criteria demonstrating they lack drinking water potential.

Class III injection for the purposes for underground recovery of copper ore found within portion of the Burro Canyon aquifer, a USDW, may not occur unless EPA approves an aquifer exemption.