A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF COCHISE COUNTY,
ARIZONA OPPOSING AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THROUGH THE SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY
WHEREAS, the San Pedro River Valley supports one of the most biologically diverse and important ecosystems in North America, serving as the major north-south migratory route or residence for 400 species of birds (nearly half the total in the United States), 100 species of butterflies, 83 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles; has been designated as the first “globally important bird area” by the American Bird Conservancy; and serves as critical stopover habitat in east-west mammal migration between the wilderness areas and sky islands of the Galiuro and Winchester Mountains and the Rincon and Santa Rita Mountains;; and
WHEREAS, the San Pedro River Valley has more than 500 known archaeological sites dating back 12,000 years and is still considered sacred to Native Americans; and
WHEREAS, many residents of Northern Cochise County, Local, State and Federal agencies, and conservation organizations have invested in protecting these resources with conservation easements or outright purchase by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Audubon Society, the Bureau of Land Management, the Nature Conservancy, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Cascabel Hermitage Association, the Salt River Project, and the Center for Archaeology, as well as others; and
WHEREAS, the topography and geology in the San Pedro River Valley consists of fragile, unstable alluvial cliffs, hills, and many deep canyon tributaries, and an unpredictable river that swells to many times its normal size during the monsoon season, which will increase the construction and maintenance costs to taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, building an interstate highway through the San Pedro River Valley would promote urban sprawl, causing local governments to incur large financial responsibilities for infrastructure costs and major changes in existing county rural land use and zoning designations; and
WHEREAS, projected state population growth is focused on the “Sun Corridor” where CAP water is available to supplement statewide limited groundwater supplies, but rural Arizona does not have such augmentation options, and in fact the water resources of the San Pedro watershed supply downstream users in Maricopa County; and
WHEREAS, the Arizona Department of Transportation's traffic count studies show that a bypass east of Pima County will not alleviate current or projected urban traffic congestion nor would the proposed interstate bypass routes in Cochise County substantially reduce overall travel time or mileage; and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cochise County Board of Supervisors opposes the construction of an interstate highway through the San Pedro River or its Aravaipa Canyon tributary, and directs that this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the State Transportation Board, the Arizona Department of Transportation, and other pertinent bodies, to express its opposition.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors of Cochise County, Arizona, this __ day of ____________, 2007.
RICHARD SEARLE, Chairman
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
KATIE HOWARD BRITT HANSON
Clerk of the Board Chief Civil Deputy, County Attorney