Opposition to Proposed Development Near Grand Canyon
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
TUSAYAN, Ariz. – A proposed housing and retail development in the small town of Tusayan, near the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, continues to draw opposition.
Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, says the U.S. Forest Service has received more than 200,000 public comments opposing the approval of roads and infrastructure that would enable a residential development to be built within a mile of the park boundary.
"It will harm the canyon," says Bahr. "It will affect water in the springs and seeps in Grand Canyon, as well as some of the creeks if they indeed pump ground water for this development, which they've said they could."
Bahr says there also are concerns the development could add more car and airplane traffic, as well as light and noise pollution to Grand Canyon National Park. She adds that the project cannot be built in its current form without Forest Service approval.
Tusayan Mayor Greg Bryan says a major goal of the project is to provide affordable housing for town residents who now live on land owned by several companies, making home ownership nearly impossible. He adds that Tusayan has a long history of conserving water and doing its best to protect the Grand Canyon.
"We're here for one reason, and that's Grand Canyon National Park," he says. "That is the golden goose, and we're not about to foul that nest and ruin the experiences our guests from around the world come to and enjoy."
Bryan says the proposed development would add hundreds of new homes and 200,000 square feet of retail space.
get more stories like this via email
United Nations experts are raising concerns about chemical giants DuPont and Chemours, saying they've violated human rights in North Carolina…
Social Issues
The long-delayed Farm Bill could benefit Virginia farmers by renewing funding for climate-smart investments, but it's been held up for months in …
Environment
Conservation groups say the Hawaiian Islands are on the leading edge of the fight to preserve endangered birds, since climate change and habitat loss …
Environment
April has been "Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month," but the pests don't know that. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it's the …
Health and Wellness
The 2024 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Public Conference kicks off Saturday, where industry experts and researchers will share the latest scientific …
Environment
Environmental groups say more should be done to protect people's health from what they call toxic, radioactive sludge. A court granted a temporary …