military continues campaign to destroy san pedro river

[Robin Silver <rsilver@sw-center.org>]

Southwest Center for Biological Diversity
P.O. Box 39629
Phoenix, AZ 85069-9629

December 24, 1997

Maj. General Charles W. Thomas
Commanding General
Ft. Huachuca AZ 85613-6000

Dear General Thomas,

Re: 1. The cone of depression from the Ft. Huachuca/Sierra Vista
population center reached the San Pedro River "eight or nine
years ago."

    2. Ft. Huachuca and the Department of Defense have failed to
comply with the National Environmental Policy Act for Ft.
Huachuca's pending land disposition to the City of Sierra Vista
for development of an industrial air park.

    3. Ft. Huachuca and the Department of Defense continue their
ongoing campaign of deceit and prevarication by refusing to
acknowledge that ground water pumping by Ft. Huachuca's more
than 30,000 troops and associated people represent the single
greatest short-term threat to the San Pedro River.
 
1. The cone of depression from the Ft. Huachuca/Sierra Vista
population center reached the San Pedro River "seven or eight
years ago."

On December 11, 1997, University of Arizona hydrology Professor
Robert MacNish, announced that "the cone of depression from the
Sierra Vista/Ft. Huachuca population center had reached the San
Pedro River eight or nine years ago." Dr. Mac Nish announced his
team's findings at the San Pedro River Technical Review
Committee meeting in Sierra Vista. The report will be available
in "about one or two months." Officials from Ft. Huachuca,
Arizona Department of Water Resources, and the City of Sierra
Vista were present at the meeting.

2. Ft. Huachuca and the Department of Defense have failed to
comply with the National Environmental Policy Act for Ft.
Huachuca's pending land disposition to the City of Sierra Vista
for development of an industrial air park.

The Southwest Center for Biological Diversity has reviewed the
information supplied to us pursuant to the Freedom of
Information Act concerning the sale of Federal land at Ft.
Huachuca to the City of Sierra Vista for the proposed 200-acre
industrial park at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport. One theme
is dominant throughout the entire evaluation process: the land
will be utilized to accommodate more growth in the area.

In the City of Sierra Vista's November 4, 1996, presentation to
the Ft. Huachuca Command, the goal of utilizing Ft. Huachuca's
targeted land to accommodate more growth was clear:

"...There would be a secure employment base for retired military
and dependents...Major aircraft repair services would be locally
available to the military to support current and future
missions...Ft Huachuca could become a center for military
aircraft retrofits and/or repairs which would help diversify its
mission and assure its continued benefit to the army as a
available installation..."

"...The sale of the 203 acres would provide the City of Sierra
Vista diversity and economic growth..."

(Sierra Vista Aerospace Center Information Presentation by
Sierra Economic Development Foundation and City of Sierra Vista
to Ft. Huachuca Command, November 4, 1996)

Use of the targeted Ft. Huachuca land to promote future growth of
Ft. Huachuca and the area's military presence is also very clear:

"...It would also benefit FH since future city development would
generate community support to the expanding troop population at
FH."

(Sierra Vista Aerospace Center Information Presentation by
Sierra Economic Development Foundation and City of Sierra Vista
to Ft. Huachuca Command, November 4, 1996)

The ground water pumping of Ft. Huachuca's more than 30,000
troops and associated people represent the single greatest
short-term threat to the San Pedro River. Continued failure by
Ft. Huachuca officials to admit, much less address, the effects
of maintaining such excessive numbers of troops and associated
personnel in an area of such environmental fragility, is
ludicrous. It is also illegal.

The conclusion of the Environmental Assessment for the transfer
of the 200 acres of Federal land to the City of Sierra Vista
perpetuates this pattern of deceit and unlawful behavior. The
Environmental Assessment admits that the reason for the transfer
of land is to accommodate growth in the area:

"PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION...The need for land
stems from the following factors...The projected growth of the
City and its resultant need for commercial airline service..."

"Environmental Assessment for the Transfer of 200 Acres of
Federally-Owned Land on Fort Huachuca, AZ, for the Purpose of
Building An Industrial Air Park", approved 1/8/87"

The Environmental Assessment concludes that transfer of the land
will have insignificant impact on the environment:

"CONCLUSION...It was concluded that although several
environmental effects would occur [in the immediate vicinity,
locally] from the proposed action, none would amount to a
significant impact. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will
not be needed...APPROVED BY WILLIAM R. HARNAGEL, Colonel, Signal
Corps, Commanding, 8 Jan 87."

"Environmental Assessment for the Transfer of 200 Acres of
Federally-Owned Land on Fort Huachuca, AZ, for the Purpose of
Building An Industrial Air Park", approved 1/8/87"

Such a conclusion is not only inaccurate, it is illegal. The
National Environmental Policy Act requires that all Federal
entities examine not only the effects of their actions on the
environment, but also the environmental baseline and the
cumulative effects of the action. The Environmental Assessment
for the transfer of Federal land to the City of Sierra Vista
does neither.

3. Ft. Huachuca and the Department of Defense continue their
ongoing campaign of deceit and prevarication by refusing to
acknowledge that ground water pumping by Ft. Huachuca's more
than 30,000 troops and associated people represent the single
greatest short-term threat to the San Pedro River.

On August 30, 1995, US District Judge Alfredo Marquez wrote:

"...This Court is convinced that the Defendants' [Ft. Huachuca
and the Department of Defense] cumulative impact analysis was
incomplete, as a matter of law...It is hard to imagine anything
more obvious than the impact of Sierra Vista's continued growth
on the nearby San Pedro River and the federally protected and
managed Riparian Area and species there...In future
environmental impact analysis, the Army must strive to address
the cumulative impacts of continued expansion activities on the
River and Riparian Area, as well as the accompanying development
of the Sierra Vista area. The future cumulative impact analysis
should consider expansion in the context of a continuum rather
than as an isolated and independent activity. Creeping
development and unrestrained draining of the aquifer represents
a real threat to the Riparian Area...

(MEMORANDUM OPINION, Alfredo C. Marquez, Southwest Center for
Biological Diversity, et al., v. William J. Perry, et al., CIV
94-598 TUC ACM, August 30, 1995)

On May 9, 1997, Dr. Mac Nish, Co - Director of the University of
Arizona Research Laboratory for Riparian Studies, wrote to Mr.
George Michael, City of Sierra Vista, and Mr. Michael
Shaughnessey, U.S. Army Garrison, Ft. Huachuca:

"...we found that ground water inflow to the San Pedro River
between Lewis Springs and the Charleston Bridge has diminished,
starting in 1991 or 1992, with the only viable explanation being
that pumpage outside the San Pedro Riparian National
Conservation Area has captured ground water that would have
discharged to the river."

At the Charleston Narrows, exposed bedrock forces the San Pedro
River's entire sub-surface flow to the surface. On the afternoon
of July 5, 1997, Southwest Center for Biological Diversity
members reported that the San Pedro River at the Charleston
Narrows was nearly completely dry. On July 14, 1997, we
photographically documented this fact. This was the first time
that the Charleston Narrows has been nearly completely dry.

On December 11, 1997, University of Arizona hydrology Professor
Robert MacNish, announced that "the cone of depression from the
Sierra Vista/Ft. Huachuca population center had reached the San
Pedro River eight or nine years ago." Dr. Mac Nish announced his
team's findings at the San Pedro River Technical Review
Committee meeting in Sierra Vista.

In spite of these findings, Ft. Huachuca and Department of
Defense officials still refuse to acknowledge that the ground
water pumping of Ft. Huachuca's more than 30,000 troops and
associated people are negatively affecting the San Pedro River.
Ft. Huachuca officials still have never made good on their
August 1992 promise that "Fort Huachuca is currently preparing"
a cumulative effects analysis and that it would "be available
for public review in 1993" (Final Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement for Base Realignment at Fort Huachuca, Arizona,
August 1992).

Sincerely,
 
Robin Silver, M.D.
Conservation Chair

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