|
<br />Tucson, Sunday, September 15, 1991
<br />
<br />_ .1.11' Seello. n B - .Page Three
<br />. . -- --'.- -. '... -. .
<br />
<br />l!b, .Ari:onn Dnill1 Slnr
<br />
<br />~
<br />
<br />Bush 'visit puts emphasis on Canyon problems
<br />
<br />PHOENIX (AP) - George Bush,
<br />who called hlmselt the envIronmen-
<br />tal president, visits the Grand Can-
<br />yon Ihls week to celebrate an agree.
<br />ment to cut smog In the park, but
<br />other problems still plague the vast
<br />landmark.
<br />The agreement requires opera-
<br />lors 01 the coal-burning Navajo Gen-
<br />erating Station to clean up sultur
<br />dioxide emissions blamed lor haze
<br />that on some winter days makes II
<br />Impossible to see across the Can-
<br />yon.
<br />It was worked out In talks between
<br />environmental groups and the ulil-
<br />tly, under pressure Irom the En-
<br />vlronmenlal Protecllon Agency.
<br />
<br />Prealdent deserves credit
<br />
<br />, "I think the admlnlstrallon de-
<br />serves credtl, Ihe president deserves
<br />credll," sold Ed Norton, president 01
<br />Ihe private Grand Canyon Trust.
<br />who represented environmental
<br />groups In the talks.
<br />But he added: "While everybody
<br />hns reason to be proud 01 what has r----
<br />been accomplished, we still have a
<br />lotto do."
<br />i. The generatlag.' plant; an Navajo
<br />~eservatlon land 80 miles northeast .
<br />'P!Jtle he~~qua*1'll 01 Gran<! Can- .
<br />>'.9.~.Natlonal rark, ts. o~Iy p~rtolth~'
<br />, rmo.gprOblem .d..~. ". . '... ... .. .., ..,'
<br />,',.' .-" W..l"-:~" t -".''f' ",.~
<br />In the summer, when the wind' ... .
<br />~IO~ IrO!'1the west. !'\c1. south, ~aze .. .;..'.
<br />~o_mes from a plant .outslde !,.as. _I i.. > ..:-:
<br />:Yegas, ~~v., and possibly tr~mcers - . . .::.. .
<br />!lnd Industrll/S as lor away as South- I ;.: ;. .....
<br />f'm.,Call/ornhi -aa~, t.!~xlco, )aI<I.:-:... .
<br />qeorge Neusaepger,w~o hesds the .. .:
<br />park's resource management olllce. ....
<br />
<br />Number ofthreats ..-
<br />
<br />',.,.';
<br />
<br />.i }.~::'~" .
<br />
<br />. .
<br />.. .
<br />
<br />. ,',
<br />
<br />.:. :<:' 1;;
<br />':. :,~,,'::ij,
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />..
<br />
<br />boaters through the Canyon's once-
<br />peacelul deplhs.
<br />Early In his term, Bush pro-
<br />claimed hlmselt to be pro-environ-
<br />ment.
<br />His brlel visit to the park Wednes-
<br />day Is expected to center on a
<br />speech praising Industry and en-
<br />vironmentalists lor the agreement
<br />to cut sultur dioxide emissions Irom
<br />the Navajo power plant by 90 per.
<br />cent by 1999.
<br />The $1.8 billion deal was an.
<br />nounced Aug. 8 by the Grand Can.
<br />yon Trust and the Salt River Project,
<br />a Phoenix-based utility that runs the
<br />plant lor companies In Arizona, Ne-
<br />vada and Call/ornla.
<br />
<br />Oplnon Isn't shared
<br />
<br />Not all environmentalists share
<br />Norton's high opinion 01 the admln.
<br />Istratlon's role In the talks. Rob
<br />Smllh, who heads the Sierra Club In
<br />Arizona, contends that the admin-
<br />Istration agreed reluctantly to back
<br />a cleanup that envlronmentatlsts
<br />
<br />.....-
<br />
<br />had been demanding since 19'/7.
<br />"That's hardly environmental
<br />leadership, that's Jumping on the ca-
<br />boose oller the train has lelllhe sla-
<br />lion," Smllh said last week. "We're
<br />glad to have the presldenl on board,
<br />but It this Is all he caa point to, .It's
<br />nol much 01 a record."
<br />Eavlronmentallsls also are wary
<br />01 the administration's approach to
<br />the /luctuatlng releases 01 water
<br />Irom Glen Canyon Dam, whlen.cre-
<br />ate walls 01 water up to 13 leet high.
<br />More water Is released through the
<br />turbines that drive Ihe dam's electri-
<br />cal generators to match peak de-
<br />mands lor electrlclly.
<br />The surges are blamed bl' park
<br />scientists lor eroding beache. In the
<br />Canyon. The surges also disrupt
<br />breeding 01 endangered chub Ilsh
<br />and destroy archaeological sites.
<br />
<br />Exemptions sought
<br />
<br />Last month, Interior Secretary
<br />Manuel Lujan ordered the Bureau 01
<br />Reclamation to smooth out the /luc-
<br />
<br />tuatlons somewhat. But the bureau Is
<br />proposing a series 01 exemptions to
<br />Lujan's order.
<br />Vtstlors also create problems.
<br />Four million people a year vlsll
<br />the Canyon, most 01 them on brlel
<br />trips to the main tourist center on
<br />the South Rim. Tralllc can be a
<br />problem, prompllng park managers
<br />to consider a tram or bus system 01
<br />the type used In other parks.
<br />Then tnere are alrcrall.
<br />Tour planes and hetlcopters were
<br />banned Irom low-level /llghls oller a
<br />crash some years ago. Butlhe Grand
<br />Canyon Trust Is urging lurther re-
<br />strlcllons, saying Ihe noise makes 11
<br />Impossible to contemplate the Can-
<br />yon's grandeur.
<br />
<br />Even the botlom 01 the Canyon
<br />can get relatively crowded.
<br />About 20,000 people 1I0at through
<br />each year on boals or rolls.
<br />
<br />"The whole visitor experience In
<br />the Canyon Is threatened," said Nor-
<br />ton 01 the Grand Canyon Trust.
<br />
<br />.....-.,.:----:-
<br />
<br />--
<br />
<br />,';'
<br />
<br />'., .
<br />
<br />"~
<br />,
<br />
<br />~~.;
<br />...
<br />.::;.:.
<br />
<br />,
<br />
|