Environmental Points Opposing the San Pedro River Valley Route of the Sunzia Project

The Cascabel Working Group suggested that these talking points be used as concerned citizens considered this issue, formed their individual point of view, and submitted comments.

  • The San Pedro River Valley supports the last major free flowing river in the desert southwest, the main migratory corridor for neo-tropical birds in the West, and the greatest diversity of mammal species in North America. The Rocky Mountains, Sierra Madres, Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts all merge here to create the greatest biodiversity of any landlocked area in the U.S.
  • The Middle San Pedro River Valley, adjacent ranges and areas is one of the largest intact landscapes in the lower 48 states. Landscape fragmentation – which this power corridor would effect – has been shown to negatively impact wildlife and ecosystem sustainability.
  • Service roads for construction and maintenance will create significant erosion, impacting water quality and soil integrity
  • Canyons crossed by the power corridor are major habitat for native fish, the most endangered of all classes of animals in the southwest, which will be adversely impacted by sedimentation and other water quality issues.
  • The San Pedro River Valley is home to many raptors, including relatively rare ones such as Black Hawks, Grey Hawks, Zone-tails and Peregrine Falcons. Transmission lines have been demonstrated to negatively impact raptors, and mitigation is both expensive and uncertain.
  • Aravaipa Canyon, a major tributary to the San Pedro, is also very undeveloped and remote, provides critical habitat for several species of endangered native fish and birds, and is located among several designated wilderness areas and national forests.
  • Service roads will encourage remote ATV access and subsequent abuses of both the vegetation and the considerable cultural and historic resources found in the valley.
  • Wildfire management and proscribed burns will be determined by need to protect line integrity, rather than the health of the ecosystem.
  • The power corridor will be a visual scar in a relatively pristine landscape, negatively impacting property values and eco-tourism.
  • Should the power corridor be approved it would become an accepted avenue for future infrastructure and development that would ultimately entail the demise of the critical environmental attributes of the San Pedro River Valley.
  • The few remaining undeveloped and highly functional landscapes in our arid lands should not be used for infrastructure corridors.
  • Increased potential for human-caused wildfires
  • Access roads would provide opportunities for illegal dumping of rubbish
  • Local generation (rooftop, brownfields) of alternative energy should be encouraged near the point of use, rather than long-distance transmission.
  • What corridors are ultimately deemed necessary should be placed along already established rail and highway transportation corridors.