Sonora River Basin Committees demand transparency in remediation plan

Twelve years after a toxic spill by Grupo México contaminated the Sonora and Bacanuchi rivers with sulfuric acid, local basin committees are demanding greater transparency and budgetary guarantees regarding a new environmental remediation program.

The Integral Environmental Remediation Program, presented by the General Directorate for the Integral Management of Hazardous Materials and Activities (DGGIMAR), aims to complete works by the end of 2026. The plan includes characterizing 288 kilometers of the basin, excavating approximately 100,000 tons of contaminated soil, and transporting untreated waste to authorized confinement centers in Coahuila and Nuevo León.

Community representatives expressed concerns that current budget allocations must be used this year without certainty of extensions if contamination persists. They also criticized the exclusion of the Abelardo L. Rodríguez dam from active remediation, noting it is currently only slated for monitoring despite its vital role in supplying water to Hermosillo. Additionally, the committees rejected claims by SEMARNAT that the community supports the plan, citing a lack of coordination between health, water, and environmental institutions.