Center For Biological Diversity Looks To Stop Airport Development Near The Grand Canyon

The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a cease and desist notice with the FAA and state of Arizona’s Department of Transportation to stop what it says is the illegal spending of tens of millions of federal dollars on expanding a local airport it says will be harmful to the Grand Canyon.

According to a news release, the center says federal environmental and cultural laws require comprehensive studies before committing federal money to such activities. Yet the state’s transportation department is using FAA money, without doing required studies, to expand its Grand Canyon National Park Airport, despite the fact that there is not enough fresh water to support the expansion and associated development planned near the Grand Canyon.

The airport is located in Tusayan, just south of the Grand Canyon. All water in the area comes from groundwater pumped from the same underground aquifer that supplies water to Indian Gardens, on the popular Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park, as well as to the world-renowned Havasupai Falls on the nearby Havasupai reservation. Visitors from around the world come to see the famous blue-green waterfalls, sacred to the Havasupai tribe. Any more groundwater pumping for airport expansion and related new development risks drying up the falls and Indian Gardens.

“We have laws to protect special places like the Grand Canyon. Surely the Federal Aviation Administration and state of Arizona don’t want to see these world-famous treasures destroyed,” said the Center’s Dr. Robin Silver.

The group says Grand Canyon National Park opposes the airport expansion and related massive new local development because they will threaten the park’s water and further overburden the park’s already failing infrastructure.

The center plans to initiate legal proceedings if the agencies insist on continuing to put the Grand Canyon at risk.

FMI: www.biologicaldiversity.org/