TODAY'S IT'S IN YOUR NEIGHBOR'S BACK YARD, BUT TOMORROW ...?

Monday - 13 November 06

In recent days a number of writers some from “main-stream” press and many from ”alternative” press are suggesting the results of last week’s national elections represent a victory for the - “greens” – those embracing a bit more of a systemic view of the manner in which we are engaging with our environment. They point to the impact groups like the Sierra Club and Green Peace as well as others had in raising money and rallying votes for a number of newly elected Congressmen and Senators.

The elected “greens” unfortunately do not include anyone from the Arizona Congressional delegation. Both Jon Kyl and John McCain were firmly attached to Bush’s hip and marched in lock step as he dismantled EPA reducing it do a mere paper tiger. Our Arizona Congressmen did not rise to any heights seeking to foster systemic views on our interaction with our environment. Our Governor Re-Elect during her first term did nothing save appoint meaningless commissions to study water related problems many of which her commissioners created.

As reported in the AzJournal.com, dateline Holbrook, by Tammy Gray-Searles, SRP (whose representative sit on Gov. Janet’s water commissions) seeks to extract from the Coconino aquifer, underlying much of Coconino, Navajo and Apache counties affecting Holbrook, Winslow, Snowflake, Taylor, Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside communities that rely on the C-aquifer as a source of water, nearly two billion gallons of water per year to enable SRP to re-open the currently closed Mohave Generating facility in Laughlin, Nevada.

Oh, buy the way none of the aforementioned communities will benefit from any electricity generated by the SRP Mohave facility as the SRP service area is central Arizona – yup – Phoenix. Given the “power” which SRP can and will exercise in its many forms from financial to political Arizona citizens should expect our Governor to look favorably on this SRP action. I mean really, it’s only going to effect a limited number of Arizona citizens and besides their all rural with little or no voice.
This SRP proposed course of
action is nothing more than sanitized governmental sanctioned “theft” of water from those who currently have but lack financial strength, political clout and population to stop it. Viewed systemically utilization of this water in the manner proposed by SRP does not meet the test of being long term prudent.

As reported by Tammy Gray-Searles, this attempt to reopen the Mohave Generating Station still faces many obstacles, and even with approval from the Office of Surface Mining, agreements must still be reached with the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe before the slurry line and Black Mesa Mine can reopen. SRP must also locate new business partners willing to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to install pollution control devices at the plant.

A public hearing on the draft environmental impact statement will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at Winslow High School, located at 600 East Cherry Ave in Winslow, Arizona

You know, you’re right . . . it’s not your problem . . . today - but - tomorrow it just might be the water in your back yard.