Tucson Audubon Position Letters - Tucson Audubon is engaged in a continuing dialog with citizens, community leaders and politicians concerning many of the conservation issues affecting southeast Arizona and beyond. See how we are making a difference by speaking out for wildlife and open spaces.
List of political contacts - who to contact in local, state and federal governments - Let your voice be heard!
Local Conservation Issues
Proposed Rosemont Mine in the Santa Rita Mountains
Augusta Resources, Inc. is proposing an open pit copper mine on private and U.S. Forest Service land in the Santa Rita Mountains. This mine would have a significant impact on wildlife, wildlife-related recreation, water quality and other hydrological issues.
LATEST!
- Tucson Audubon letter to the US Forest Service regarding project DEIS (Jan 18, 2012)
- Tucson Audubon letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding project 404 permit (Jan 19, 2012)
- Letter from Pima County Administrator Huckelberry to Coronado NF Sup Jim Upchurch (Dec 14, 2011)
Ash Canyon Birding Location Faces Closure - Act now!
- Peterson (appellant) statement
- Letter of support from Tucson Audubon
- Letter of support from Richard Carlson
- Letter of support from SBVA
State Wildlife Grants
Arizona could lose funding for its Important Bird Areas program this week. Please act today by contacting your US House Representative. Please review these talking points on the issue.
Several severe attacks on birds, wildlife and habitat are taking place right now in the U.S. House of Representatives. The debate continues on the Continuing Resolution (HR 1), a bill to extend government funding for the rest of the year. Apart from the loss of the State Wildlife Grant to Arizona (and to all other states), which funds our IBA program, the bill includes dramatic cuts to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and plans that handicap the Environmental Protection Agency and its ability to protect our families.
The Clean Water Act and the Santa Cruz River as Traditional Navigable Water
In the past, the Army Corps of Engineers has interpreted the Clean Water Act to apply to the Santa Cruz River and desert washes that feed into it. This has allowed the Corps to regulate developments that affect riparian habitat and that might pollute the watershed. The 2006 Rapanos Supreme Court Decision forced the Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider this, by requiring protected waterways to have a significant connection to "navigable waters of the United States."
- Homebuilders lack standing to challenge Arizona TNW designations (Dec 9, 2011)
- Court rules to dismiss case by Home Builders (Aug 19, 2010)
Economics of Birding and other Watchable Wildlife
People who watch birds in our state generate a total economic impact of $1.2 billion each year. Tucson Audubon is raising the awareness within government and the business community of this fact and the issues around it, particularly that conserving wildlife habitat makes economic sense for our state as we focus more on attractive, rather than extractive, industry to create a cleaner and more sustainable future for southern Arizona. We provide some resources here on the economics of wildlife viewing. We also encourage birders to leave "Birder Calling Cards" at businesses they use while birding. You can download the file below, print it double-sided, and cut the cards to size. You can also pick up cards at our Nature Shops.
Painted Hills Annexation
The City of Tucson is considering annexing the Painted Hills, a 287 acre parcel of rocky, saguaro-studded hills adjacent to and west of the City between W. Anklam Rd. and W. Speedway Boulevard. With the exception of a couple of jeep roads, the hills remain one of the largest tracks of virgin Sonoran desert in close proximity to the City, and provide the first glimpse of the classic saguaro-palo verde landscape of the old West to our visitors from outside of Arizona.
SunZia Transmission Project in the lower San Pedro river valley
The proposed SunZia Southwest Transmission Project, designed to carry power over two 500-kilovolt (kV) lines from central New Mexico to Phoenix and southern California, now threatens the Lower San Pedro valley. If constructed, up to 300 sixteen-story towers would run the length of the valley, with an access easement up to 1000 feet wide and access roads to every tower. Vegetation beneath the lines would be cleared. Read more on page 16 in the March/April Vermilion Flycatcher.
- Phase II Report
- Refinements to Water Service Area - Mayor and Council Memo (April 13, 2010)
Marana Proposed Landfill Site
The following is a summary of key issues that need to be properly addressed by the developer of the proposed landfill. Some of these questions have been raised by Pima County, the City of Tucson, and neighbors. A lot of the issues originally raised and Herb Kai’s Specific Plan for the landfill have been placed on Pima County’s website: www.pima.gov.
Heritage Fund and the Wildlife Conservation Fund
Arizona Legislature’s intent to sweep Heritage Funds exposes wildlife conservation.
See a letter from Tucson Audubon and 22 other NGOs to Governor Brewer regarding the Heritage Fund and the Wildlife Conservation Fund.
Wildlife Linkages between Tortolitas and Catalinas
On Thursday December 10, the Regional Transportation Department unanimously passed the Wildlife Linkages proposal entitled “SR 77 Wildlife Crossing Structures Proposal,” proposed by Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). This proposal was developed through a partnership between ADOT, Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, Sky Island Alliance and Tucson Audubon.
Proposed Quarries in Davidson Canyon
California-Portland Cement needs permission from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Land Management before they can proceed with developing their quarries in Davidson Canyon.
Resolution Copper and the mine at Superior
Foreign-owned mining company, Resolution Copper Company (RCC) (Rio Tinto of the United Kingdom owns 55% and Broken Hill Properties (BHP) of Australia owns 45%) has acquired the old Magma Mine outside Superior and wishes to expand its holdings.
Santa Cruz County: SSVEC transmission line route through the Babacomari Ranch
SSVEC plans to install a 69kV line from Huachuca City to Sonoita through the Babacomari Ranch. The proposed new line would run along an easement owned by SSVEC that runs across the historic Babacomari Ranch just to the north of the Audubon-managed Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch, an area of pristine desert grassland.
- Click here for briefing notes on this issue.
- Presentation and analysis of transmission line options by the Sonoita Cross-Roads Forum's Renewable Energy Committee as representatives of the Sonoita, Patagonia, Elgin communities. Click here
Forest Service to Consider Offering Madera Canyon Cabin for Overnight Rental (Press release - June 8, 2009)
Conserving Tumamoc Hill
Tumamoc Hill is a special and important place. Today we have a unique opportunity to protect this special place in perpetuity. The best outcome for the future conservation of the site is for it to pass into ownership by Pima County. One impediment is a landfill site on the property, and ownership of the landfill needs to pass to the City of Tucson. Furthermore, the City of Tucson needs to hold Pima County harmless from any claims during their temporary ownership.
City of Tucson Council member Rodney Glassman recently made a proposal to suspend City impact fees for a period of 12 months. The letter from the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection summarizes the views of the conservation community in our region.
The proposed citizen’s initiative would designate approximately 570,000 acres of State Trust Land (out of the 9.3 million acres currently held in the Trust), to be managed by the Arizona State Land Department for conservation. This conservation land would be held by the Trust. The proposed measure also allows cities and towns to apply for and purchase additional conservation lands under the Arizona Preserve Initiative.
Permanent Border Patrol Checkpoint on I-19
The US Border Patrol currently has a temporary checkpoint on I-19 at Agua Linda Road in Santa Cruz County. This is located close to the 300-acre Esperanza Ranch conservation easement that Tucson Audubon manages for the purposes of conservation and habitat restoration.
In this 2010 State of the Birds report, we consider one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time, climate change. How will the impacts of climate change influence our bird populations and their habitats? This report calls attention to the collective efforts needed to protect nature’s resources for the benefit of people and wildlife.