pima natural resource conservation district pima center ... · 6/2/2017  · in 1996, pima county...

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PimaNaturalResourceConservationDistrictPimaCenterforConservationEducation,Inc.NRCSPlantMaterialsCenter3241N.RomeroRoadTucson,AZ85705(520)971-2962

Interstate11Tier1EISStudyTeamc/oADOTCommunications1655WestJacksonStreet,MailDrop126FPhoenix,Arizona85007I-11ADOTStudy@hdrinc.comhttp://www.i11study.com/ArizonaRE:Tier1EnvironmentalImpactStatementforInterstate11CorridorbetweenNogalesandWickenburg,Arizona;FederalRegisterVol.81,No.98at32007,etseq.(Submittedviawebsite,andbyemail)

ThePimaNaturalResourceConservationDistrict(District)hereinprovidescommentsinoppositiontoCorridorAlternativesC,D,E,andF,andtheproposedTucsonbypassroutethroughAvraValleyandnorthwestalongtheedgesofoneNationalParkandtwoNationalMonuments,forthefutureCanaMexTranscontinentalCorridor–alsoknownasInterstate11.AboutthePimaNaturalResourceConservationDistrictTheArizonaStateLegislaturecreatedtheDistrictin1942(Laws,1941,Ch.43,§2).TheDistrictispresentlygovernedunderChapter6ofTitle37oftheArizonaRevisedStatutes.TheDistrictisstructuredasahybridofastateagencyfundedundertheStateLandsNaturalResourcesDivisionandasanindependentlocalunitofArizonagovernmentwithaBoardofSupervisorsconsistingofbothelectedandGovernor-appointedSupervisors.TheexpertiseofthePimaNRCDisrecognizedbyArizonastatute37-1054(A)asfollows:

“Thisstaterecognizesthespecialexpertiseofthedistrictsinthefieldsofland,soil,waterandnaturalresourcesmanagementwithintheboundariesofthedistrict.”

TheDistrictworkstogetherwithandrepresents“cooperators”whoarepersonshavingnaturalresourcesundertheircontrolandwhohaveeachvoluntarilysignedanagreementtopursuesoilandwaterconservationeffortsincooperationwiththeDistrict.TheDistrict’sgeographicalboundariesroughlyencompassallareasofPimaCountyexcludingtheYaquiandTohonoO’OdhamNations’reservationlands.TheDistrictcovers2.14millionacresoflandinPimaCountyandasmallareaofsouthernPinalCountyencompassingtheLosRobles

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ArchaeologicalDistrict.AbouttheCanaMexCorridorTheCanaMexCorridorispartoftheNorthAmericanFreeTradeAgreement(NAFTA).Itsplannersenvisionitwillbecomethemajortrans-continentalexpresswayfortransportofgoodsbetweenoceanshippingportsinMexicoandCanada.TheproposedCanaMexCorridorwillbemuchmorethananordinaryinterstatehighway.Itwillincludenotjustaminimumfour-lanehighwaybutalsomultipleraillinesandfiberopticsinstallations.Incontrasttothetypicalinterstatehighwaywidthoftwoorthreehundredfeet,theproposedCanaMexright-of-waywouldbe800to2,000feetwide.Theanticipatedpreferredalternativeis“expectedtobe2,000feetwide.”Inotherwords,thatdecisionhasalreadybeenmade.ThisissignificantbecausetheAvraValleyisonlyabout10mileswideinsomeplaces.Impacts:LossofDistrictCooperatorsTheDistricthascooperatorswhoareprimarilyagriculturalproducers.TheyarescatteredthroughouteasternPimaCounty.TheDistricthascooperatorswhosehomesand/orbusinessescouldbesubjecttoeminentdomain.Therefore,theDistrictcouldloseaportionofitscooperatorbaseregardlesswhethertheexistinginfrastructureofInterstate10isexpandedoranewInterstate11routebypassesTucsonthroughtheAvraValley.EnvironmentalfeaturesoftheAvraValleyTheAvraValleypresentlyprovideshabitattoabroaddiversityofwildlifeduetoitscloseproximitytotheupperSonoranDesertecosystem,theLowerColoradoRiverecosystem,theChihuahuangrasslandstothesouthinAltarValley,andmontaneecosystemsinthenearbylowmountainranges.AlowpassovertheContinentalDivideinsouthernNewMexicofacilitatesabirdmigrationcorridorfromtheeasternstatesintosouthernArizona,andnorthwardthroughtheAvraValley.

TheAvraValleyservesasanimportantbirdmigrationcorridorwithnotable“hotspots”identifiedbytheCornellLaboratoryofOrnithologybasedonthousandsofsubmittedbirdwatchers’checklists(Seeebird.org/ebird/hotspots.)ThesehotspotsincludetheAvraValleyWaterTreatmentPlantwith258species;theArizona-SonoraDesertMuseumwith171species;theCentralArizonaProjectRechargeBasinwith179species;TucsonMountainParkwith104species;andSaguaroNationalParkWestwith137species.

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Figure1.RarescarlettanagerphotographedinanironwoodtreeonJune2,2009onthenorthwestendoftheAvraValley.Thelocationwaswithin2milesoftheCanaMexCorridorstudyareaboundary.Anotherscarlettanagerwasspottedthesamelocationin2013.AboutTourismintheAvraValleyCommercialtouristattractionsintheAvraValleyincludetwoorthreewesternduderanches,steakhouses,OldTucsonStudios,andtheArizona-SonoraDesertMuseum.Within30miles,asthecrowflies,istheKittPeakNationalAstronomicalObservatory.AboutAvraValleyresidentsAccordingtothe2010U.S.census,approximately6,000peopleresideinabout2,000householdsina22squaremileareaintheAvraValley.OneeighthofAvraValleyresidentsareretirees,slightlylessthan1/8aremilitaryveterans,and1/4arepersonsundertheageof18.Four-fifthsofthehousingisowner-occupied.WithhomesinAvraValleyavailableforunder$250,000andmedianhouseholdincomearound$45,000,residentshavechosentheAvraValleyasanaffordableplacetoliveinrelativepeaceandquiet.Itisdottedwithsmall-acreagefarmswitheasyaccesstojobs,publicservicesandcommercialoutletsinTucsonwithina45-minutedrive.

©2009CindyCoping

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EnvironmentalimpactsWehavebeentold,buthavenotconfirmed,thattheproposedTucsonbypasswouldforce47AvraValleyandPictureRocksfamiliesfromtheirhomestomakeroomfortheCanaMexCorridor.Regardlessofhowmanyfamiliesaredisplaced,itisreasonabletoassumetheincreasesinnoise,lightpollution,andairpollutionassociatedwiththeCanaMexCorridorcouldsignificantlydegradethequalityoflifethatwasoriginallysoughtbyeveryfamilyorresidentlivinginthenorthernendofAvraValley.ThenoiseandpollutionfromtheproposedAvraValleyroutefortheCanaMexCorridorwouldalsonegativelyimpactthequalityandavailabilityofoutdoorrecreationopportunitieswithina45-minutedrivefromTucson.Ascientificstudyisnecessary,priortoapprovalofthisproposedroute,todeterminewhethertheincreaseinairpollution(exhaustproductsofinternalcombustion)wouldcontaminateornegativelyimpacttheCentralAvraValleyStorageandRecoveryProject(CAVSARP.TheproposedAvravalleyroutewoulddegradethenativewildlifehabitatsthatweresetasideforprotectionintheSaguaroNationalParkWest,TucsonMountainPark,IronwoodForestNationalMonument,andtheU.S.BureauofReclamation’sCentralArizonaProjectwildlifemitigationpreserve.RuraltouristattractionsincludingtheArizona-SonoraDesertMuseumandOldTucsonwouldbecomeurbanislandsandtherebybedegradedinqualityandtheabilitytocontinuepresentofferings.ThiswillnegativelyimpactPimaCounty’stourismindustry.Duetoincreasedtrafficnoise,OldTucsonStudiosmightneverberestoredtoaviablemoviefilminglocation.TheArizona-SonoraDesertMuseumcurrentlyhosts“CreaturesoftheNight”and“AstronomyNight”showsalmostweeklyoncoolsummernights.TheproposedCanaMexsegmentdirectlyborderingthemuseumgroundswoulddestroythesereneruraldesertambiance,disruptnaturalwildlifeecosystemsinthearea,andcouldtherebynegativelyimpactthismajorTucsonareatouristdestination.Asalreadydemonstrated,southernArizonaisalsoatourismdestinationforitsdark,starrynights.LightpollutionintroducedbytheproposedCanaMexCorridorsegmentthroughAvraValleywouldnegativelyimpacttheKittPeakNationalObservatory.TheIronwoodForestNationalMonumentonthenorthendoftheAvraValleyisadestinationforstargazers.Aresidentialsubdivisiononthenorthernboundaryofthemonument,SilverbellEstates,wasbuiltdecadesagospecificallytoattractstargazers.Itsstreetsareallnamedforastronomicalobjects.

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WhenthecometHayakutakeappearedin1996,itwasinvisibleeastofGatesPass.InthedarknessoftheIronwoodForestNationalMonumentonthenorthendofAvraValleyandwithintwomilesoftheproposedCanaMexCorridorstudyarea,however,thecometanditsspectacular80-degreetailwereseenintheirfullglory–analmostfrighteningsight.LightandnoisepollutionmayalsonegativelyimpactnocturnalwildlifethatdependontheBrawley,LosRoblesandSantaCruzwatershedsintheAvraValley,althoughweareunawareofspecificstudiesinvestigatingthatpossibility.Wearelikewiseunawareofanystudiesthathaveinvestigatedtheimpactsoflightpollutiononlocalflorasuchasthenight-blooming“QueenoftheNight”cactus.Wedonotruleoutthepossibilitythatsignificantharmcanoccur.TheEISmustaddressthisissue.LocalSentimentIn1996,PimaCountyvotersapprovedanopenspacebondthatfacilitatedthepurchaseof7,300acresofland.In2004,PimaCountyvotersapprovedtheSonoranDesertConservationPlan(SDCP)anditsaccompanying$174millionbondpackagetopreserve47,000additionalacresofopenspaceandthecounty’scattleranchingheritage.ThevoterspassedtheSDCPbondwithfullknowledgethattheincreaseddebtwouldforcethemtopaysignificantlyhigherpropertytaxesthantheresidentsofanyoftheother14countiesinArizona.Theyalsounderstoodthatfuturehigh-payingjobopportunitiesinminingandhomeconstructionwouldforeverbedestroyed.ThecitizensofPimaCountyknowinglychosetomakethesesacrificesinordertopreservewildlifehabitatandopenspacesfromtheirreversibleimpactsofdevelopment.TheproposedCanaMexsegmentthroughtheAvraValleythereforeviolatesthevaluesofthePimaCountyresidents,atleastthosewhocaredenoughtovote,andisincompatible,bothecologicallyandfromaqualityoflifeperspective,witharuralsetting.Inaddition,rurallandsthathadbeeneligibleforzoningchangesintradeforESASection10permitmitigationmaynolongerqualify.CostAccordingtoADOT’sownnumbers,doubledeckingInterstate10throughTucsonwouldsave$2billionversusthecostofcreatinga56-milesectionofinterstatehighwaythroughtheAvraValley.OthersignificantimpactsmayoccurasaconsequenceTheCanaMexcorridorwillsignificantlyreducewhatlittleremainsofprivatelandsinPimaCounty.HowmuchmoreofitstaxbasecanPimaCountyaffordtolosewithoutdramaticallyincreasingpropertytaxes—again?TheIronwoodForestNationalMonumentdesignationispresentlyunderPresidentialreviewandmayberepealed.Ifthisoccurs,environmentalimpactsfromtheCanaMexCorridorsegmentthroughAvraValleywillnotbemitigatedbythepresenceoftheNationalMonument.

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Infact,shouldtheproposedCanaMexsegmentthroughtheAvraValleybeapproved,theMonumentstatusmayberepealedspecificallytofacilitateastraighter,fasterandsignificantlylesscostlyCanaMexCorridor.ThesameimpactswouldlikelyoccuriftheSonoranDesertNationalMonumentisrepealed,andforthesamereasons.IfeitherNationalMonumentdesignationisrepealedandreplacedwiththeCanaMexCorridor,itislikelytheareaorareascurrentlyinNationalMonumentstatuswouldbetargetedforrapidcommercialdevelopment.TheopenpitSilverbellcopperminecouldalsobesignificantlyexpanded.CommercialdevelopmentprojectsinareascurrentlydesignatedasNationalMonumentswould,ofcourse,rapidlyincreasethetaxbaseandsignificantlyimproveoveralleconomicconditionsinPimaCounty.Thesupplyofdomesticmineralssuchascopperwouldbemoresecure,whichwouldinturnenhancenationalsecurity.Ontheotherhand,thepricewouldbelostqualityoflife,lossofhighqualityspecieshabitat,lossofmigratoryspecieshabitat,andpotentiallymorespeciesbeinglistedasendangered.ProblemswithSegmentsEandFCorridorsegmentFtraverseshighlyerodedandhighlyerodibleportionsoftheSantaCruzRiverandBrawleywash.Theerosion,unstablesoilsandshiftingstreambedwillpresentcostandreliabilitynightmaresasthestreamchannelfloods,deepens,widens,andcontinueshead-cuttingsouthward.Moreover,SegmentFtouchestheLosRoblesArchaeologicalDistrict,whichisthenortherntipofourDistrict.TheareaisontheRegisterofHistoricLandmarksandthesiteofawell-developedHohokamvillage.Constructionactivitiesalonewillcausedestructionofsurfaceartifactsofthearchaeologicalsiteandwillexposeimportantpetroglyphsitestodamagingairpollutioninadditiontonewtheftandvandalism.Inaddition,SegmentFwilldestroythehistoricalsiteofacentury-oldranchandaone-roomschool,anddestroythehistorichomeandforcetheevictionofthefourthgenerationranchingfamilythatdescendedfromJackwas,animportantlocalhistoricalcattlemanandonethekeypeoplewhofoundedthefamousTucsonRodeoandparadein1925.Moreover,thesitewasusedasaUnionBuffaloSoldiercampduringtheCivilWar.ItisalsothesiteofthehistoriccoppersmeltingghosttownofSascoandthehistoricAtchisonTopekaandSantaFerailroadlinethattransportedcopperoreandpeoplebetweenSascoandtheSilverbellminefrom1906to1932.Inaddition,animportantriparianbirdmigrationcorridorwouldbeseverelydegradedordestroyed

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intheSantaCruz,Brawley,andLosRobleswatersheds.RequestforprocessinclusionTheplanningprocessandthispubliccommentperiodwereinsufficientlypublicized.Thecoreinformationandkeyfactstoconsiderseemburiedunderpilesoftrivialdocumentation—certainlynoteasytofindontheADOTwebsite.WehavenumerousDistrictcooperatorswhoareatriskoflosingtheirhomes,heritageandlivelihoods,andyetwerenevercontactedbyADOT.WerequestthattheybecontactedbyADOTthroughcertifiedmail,andthecommentperiodbereopenedfornolessthan90daystogivethemanopportunitytoknowwhatplansarebeinglaidfortheirfutures.WeassertthatlettingpeopleknowthattheirlivesmaybeentirelyuprootedwouldbetheveryminimalamountofcourtesyADOToughttoextend.Themainstreamnewsmediaalsofailedtocommunicateadequatelythroughoutthisprocess.WerequestthatADOTensurethedirectlyaffectedlocalcitizensandtheDistrictbefullyinformedofanynewprocessdevelopments,opportunitiesforcoordinationbetweentheDistrictandADOT,andpubliccommentperiodannouncements.Sincerely,CindyCopingChair,PimaNaturalResourceConservationDistrict