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Forest Service Opens Scoping Period For Development On South Rim Of Grand Canyon

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A massive development proposed for Tusayan is seen by opponents and park officials as a major threat to Grand Canyon National Park/Rebecca Latson

A project that could see more than 2,000 housing units and several million square feet of commercial space reach to within a half-mile or so of Grand Canyon National Park could also impact groundwater flows that feed the canyon's springs and hanging gardens, according to conservation groups working to raise public opposition to the project.

'œThe Forest Service is putting Grand Canyon National Park in the crosshairs by considering Tusayan'™s dangerous, damaging plan for a mega-resort,' said Kevin Dahl of the National Parks Conservation Association. 'œThis proposal is not in the public interest and is one of the greatest threats Grand Canyon National Park has seen in its history. The Forest Service can and should have rejected it out of hand.'

At issue is a request to the U.S. Forest Service to allow the town of Tusayan to "make improvements to segments of existing forest roads and construct new segments to provide all-weather access and utility service to two inholding properties within the Kaibab National Forest that are located within the incorporated limits of the Town."

The Forest Service through late June is seeking public input into how the project might impact the surrounding area.

Grand Canyon officials have voiced their opposition to the project, with Superintendent Dave Uberuaga saying it, and a proposal known as "Escalade" that would involve a rim-to-river tram on Navajo land just east of the park, pose the "greatest threat" to the park in its history.

The Tusayan project has been roughly two decades in the making. Once called the "Canyon Forest Development," today it is being pushed by the Stilo Development Group, a group with Italian roots

Opponents say the project would transform the 580-resident community of Tusayan "from a small, quiet tourist town into a sprawling complex of high-end homes, strip malls, and resorts only a mile from the Grand Canyon National Park boundary."

Stilo, which "hopes to bring large-scale tourist-driven commercial development and much needed residential housing to the town," has partnered with town officials to obtain the federal permit needed to expand road and utility access through public lands within the Kaibab National Forest. Company officials have said the project they envision is necessary to give Grand Canyon visitors something else to do after they tour the South Rim.

"The average tourist has his Kodak moment at the Rim, buys a plastic tomahawk made in China, and then leaves," Stilo spokesperson Tom DePaolo told Esquire magazine for a 2013 piece on the project.

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Opponents of a massive development near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon worry that it could adversely affect springs such as this one that pour from the canyon's walls./NPS.

"The National Park Service considers the mega-development a significant threat to Grand Canyon because it will require vast quantities of water and could lower the aquifer that feeds seeps, springs, and streams that support wildlife and recreation on the park'™s South Rim," said a press release sent out Monday by a coalition of groups including NPCA, Earthjustice, the Grand Canyon Trust, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Grand Canyon chapter of the Sierra Club. "Groundwater pumping accompanying the development could also lower the aquifer that is the exclusive source of all water for Havasu Falls, the cultural foundation of the Havasupai tribe."

At Earthjustice, Ted Zukoski said, 'œThe Forest Service is paving the way for foreign investors to exploit America'™s most treasured natural landmark all to turn a profit. The Forest Service is throwing out its responsibility to serve the public interest by endangering the water, wildlife, and wilderness that make the Grand Canyon so special.'

Earthjustice, on behalf of the conservation groups, has submitted a letter protesting the Forest Service'™s consideration of the rights-of-way permit. The city of Flagstaff and regional businesses have already passed resolutions opposing this development, saying that it would negatively impact surrounding communities and Grand Canyon National Park, the groups said.

While the physical development in its own right is of major concern to opponents, where the developers will get water for it is of greater concern.

'œThat'™s the fundamental question that has us most concerned," Roger Clark of the Grand Canyon Trust said Monday. "We already know that the springs on the South Rim are directly connected to the existing wells in Tusayan and some of the wells are showing signs of drying up."

At NPCA, Mr. Dahl echoed that sentiment during a conversation Monday.

'œThe developer says they have the right to drill wells. There is a complicated aquifer there," he said. "We don'™t know a whole lot about, but it goes down to the Redwall (limestone formation), and a lot of the springs come out of the Redwall. But they have also talked about trucking in water, using a railroad line to bring in water.'

The Tusayan and Escalade projects are just two recent threats to the national park and the canyon it protects. There also have been concerns about the restarting of a nearby uranium mine.

'œWhether it'™s uranium-mining companies or greedy developers some will always see the Grand Canyon as a cash register, not one of Earth'™s most awe-inspiring and precious places,' said Robin Silver, a founder of the Center for Biological Diversity. 'œThis is a place worth fighting for. We plan to fight shoulder to shoulder with millions of other Americans to defeat this latest scheme to commercialize the Grand Canyon. Shopping malls don'™t belong here.'

The Forest Service is take public comment on the proposal through June 3. It also has scheduled informational meetings on the proposal in Tusayan (May 19), Williams (May 18), and Flagstaff, Ariz. (May 20).

Comments

What's more important?

The Grand Canyon?

Or a few million dollars in the pockets of a couple of politically powerful developers?

We need to know exactly which elected state and Federal lawmakers are helping to push this effort forward.  Unfortunately, they are very good at remaining hidden.

As an aside, I watched part of an excellent PBS show last night about the role Dick Cavett's TV show played in bringing the Vietnam war to an end.  It struck me that there are no longer any TV offerings that remotely resemble that one.  Why?  Could it be because a small number of powerful people have managed to purchase control of almost all our news and entertainment outlets and have diluted real news reporting to focus attention away from any investigative journalism or open and thoughtful discussion of pressing issues?  Is that why so much of "news" now consists of reports of the latest gossip about celebrities.  Is it because they know that if they can entertain the masses instead of informing them, they can more easily control any public opposition to whatever they are trying to push?

Can you imagine the effect of having a major network program devoted to careful examination of not only this issue, but also air quality, climate change, preservation of our parks and a host of other sensitive issues the owners of our entertainment networks are invested in?

If more Americans were somehow made aware of what is happening on the South Rim, I'll bet the outcry would be overwhelming.

Now, how can we do that?


I have taken part in annual spring surveys within the Grand Canyon, and our springs are down 10% over the last ten years.  The South Rim is highly water stressed.  A development such as the one proposed in Tusayan will rob wildlife and the Havaupai Nation of their water.  Please take the time to write to the Forest Service and oppose the granting of these road easements.  


I'm going to post this comment in an attempt to draw attention to what I think is an extreme threat to an American treasure.  Arguing about beer logos seems to be diverting us from what could be an even more critical issue.

What can be done to stop this?


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