Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet
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The Greater Grand Canyon Ecoregion is a wild and remote landscape that includes two Bureau of Land Management national monuments (Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Canyon-Parashant), two national forests (Coconino and Kaibab), numerous wilderness areas, and the crown jewel of our national park system: Grand Canyon National Park. |
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Tusayan Development Still Holds No Water Backers of a massive development outside the south gate of Grand Canyon National Park have yet to disclose where they will get their water. A year ago, Tusayan Ventures, LLC, applied to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) for permission to establish a water delivery system to serve about 2,400 residential units, hotels, timeshares, three million square feet of commercial space, and a dude ranch and spa. A year later, the developers still haven’t met the requirements. Not only have they been silent on where their water will come from, they have also failed to quantify how much wastewater they will produce and what they will do with it. The groundwater below Tusayan is connected to seeps and springs in Grand Canyon National Park and on Havasupai Tribal land. According to a National Park Service report, after wells were drilled in Tusayan and nearby Valle in 1994, Cottonwood Creek turned from perennial to intermittent and Pumphouse Spring’s flow began declining. We don’t know conclusively whether increased water demand led to these changes, but until we fully understand the impacts of wells on Grand Canyon’s springs, we should not allow new wells to be drilled. Sierra Club joined Grand Canyon National Park, the Havasupai Tribe, Grand Canyon Trust, former Coconino County Supervisor Carl Taylor, and the South Grand Canyon Sanitary District (Tusayan’s wastewater management agency) in expressing serious concern over Tusayan Ventures’ plans. If you’d like to tell the ACC about your own concerns, you can find their contact information online. |
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New Plan for Scenic Byway to North Rim Did you know that Highway 67 between Jacob Lake and the Grand Canyon National Park north gate is a National Scenic Byway? Also known as the Kaibab Plateau – North Rim Parkway, the 45 spectacular miles are designated as an Arizona State Scenic Road, a National Forest Scenic Byway, and a National Scenic Byway. Due to this status, the Forest Service must prepare a corridor management plan with community and stakeholder involvement. Sierra Club is recommending that the area along the byway remain as natural as possible, with minimal lighting, a safe bike path, attention to the viewshed, and careful planning for the safety of both wildlife and people. Do you have ideas for the improvement of the Kaibab Plateau – North Rim Parkway? You can join in a webinar on December 10 from 6–8 p.m. RSVP in advance as space is limited. You can also email suggestions to cmmckinney@fs.fed.us. For more information about this project, please contact Chelsea McKinney with the Kaibab National Forest at (928) 643-8121. |
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Tell President Obama: Protect the Grand Canyon Watershed Sandwiched between vistas of Grand Canyon and two national monuments lies the Grand Canyon Watershed region. To protect this area from the threats of uranium mining, old growth logging, habitat fragmentation, and more, the Sierra Club is working with coalition partners to promote a Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument. The Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument would protect 1.7 million acres, including 300,000 acres of ancient forest; more than 125 creeks, springs, and seeps; 3,000-plus archaeological sites; and 22 sensitive plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Would you like to help us spread the word about the proposed national monument? Write a letter to the editor of your local paper or send a message to President Obama and the Secretary of the Interior to let them know you support protection of these amazing lands. You can also contact Alicyn Gitlin to learn how to get more involved at alicyn.gitlin@sierraclub.org or (928) 774-6514. |
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Upcoming Events | |||
Monday, December 10, 6:30 p.m. The Thorpe Community Center (245 N. Thorpe Rd., Flagstaff) The Sierra Club Plateau Group invites members and nonmembers alike to learn more about the Arizona Trail. Gary Hohner, President of the Arizona Trail Association, will show a video and share his thoughts on the history of the trail and what you need to know if you plan to hike it. There will be plenty of time for your questions and comments. For more information, contact Marti Callahan at grept@hotmail.com. |
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Public Meeting for the New North Rim Parkway Corridor Management Plan Monday, December 10, 6 p.m. North Kaibab Ranger District office (430 S. Main St., Fredonia) The purpose of this project is to develop a corridor management plan that serves as a guiding document for managing cultural, historic, recreational, archeological, natural, and scenic qualities that promote the area. Please encourage safe wildlife crossings, visitor safety, education about wildlife collision risk, and the protection of old growth forests. Learn more here. You can also participate via WEBINAR if you RSVP in advance. Webinar space is limited. |
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For more events and outings across the state, please visit http://arizona.sierraclub.org/activities.asp. To get involved with Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Protection Campaign, contact Alicyn Gitlin at (928) 774-6514 or alicyn.gitlin@sierraclub.org. |
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