Mexico Announces Justice Plan to Repair Environmental and Health Damage in the Sonora River Basin
Hermosillo, Sonora — December 23, 2025
More than eleven years after toxic waste from the Buenavista del Cobre mine contaminated the Sonora River and its tributaries, the Government of Mexico has announced a comprehensive Justice Plan aimed at repairing the long-term environmental and health damage suffered by affected communities.
The plan, presented jointly by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (PROFEPA), is part of the Justice Plan for Cananea and reflects a renewed commitment to environmental justice, public health, and the right to a healthy environment.
Federal and state authorities detailed a series of actions designed to address the consequences of the August 6, 2014 toxic spill, which impacted water sources, ecosystems, and the health of residents across the Sonora River basin. The measures focus on three core areas identified through direct dialogue with communities: health, access to clean water, and environmental remediation.
Speaking at the Sonora Government Palace, Environment Secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra explained that since last year, federal authorities have held meetings with community representatives to listen to their concerns and incorporate their proposals. These conversations led to the formal presentation of the Justice Plan on May 20, 2025.
As part of the health response, the government will build and equip the Regional Hospital of Ures, a facility that will specialize in toxicology and environmental health. According to Alejandro Svarch Pérez, head of IMSS-Bienestar, the hospital will include medical residencies, a toxicology unit, and an Epidemiological Surveillance Unit to monitor populations affected by contamination. The hospital will also expand outpatient services with 21 specialized consultation rooms, emergency care areas, 60 inpatient beds, an intensive care unit, and a laboratory dedicated to analyzing heavy metals.
Access to safe drinking water is another central pillar of the plan. Efraín Morales López, director of the National Water Commission (Conagua), announced the construction of 16 water treatment plants, the installation of 16 disinfection systems, and upgrades to four existing facilities. Permanent monitoring of water quality will be implemented to ensure safe consumption.
Environmental remediation efforts will include the characterization and analysis of contaminated soils and sediments across affected zones. Secretary Bárcena emphasized that these measures aim to reduce contaminants to levels that are safe for both human health and the environment.
“This plan is the result of a participatory, transparent process grounded in technical and social evidence,” Bárcena said. “It is how the Government of Mexico takes a decisive step toward addressing a historic debt with the communities of the Sonora River basin. There can be no social justice without environmental justice.”
During the event, federal officials met with residents from Arizpe, Banámichi, Aconchi, Baviácora, and Ures to explain next steps and address questions about the remediation process. Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo Montaño highlighted the coordinated effort among government agencies to confront environmental and social challenges in the state.
Interior Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez confirmed that the federal government will administer a 1.5 billion pesos fund to finance the hospital’s construction, drinking water infrastructure, and SEMARNAT’s environmental justice actions. She noted that the agreement followed firm negotiations requiring Grupo México to meet strict conditions. “What was achieved represents a significant benefit for the affected population,” she said.
Through its environmental sector, the Government of Mexico reaffirmed its commitment to repairing damage, advancing environmental justice, and protecting the right of communities to live in a healthy environment.
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