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Purpose of the Project
According to the Town, “The purpose of this project is to provide second source of water to Catalina Shadows subdivision and Palisades area, as well as improving water quality to Palisades and Catalina Shadow...The project started early January and is expected to complete mid-March.” A separate Town document reveals that the new pipeline is 8 inches in diameter.
Total disregard for the sanctity of nature
In late January, Dr. Eisenberg and her partner, photographer John Amato, began contacting the Town of Oro Valley (mayor, council, town manager, and the planning and zoning administrator) and American Tower Corporation (the company that’s installing the water pipeline off Labyrinth Drive and the Silverhawke Conservation Trail) informing them that, “the heavy equipment operators are smashing trees unnecessarily and workers are dumping their equipment on living vegetation” that tortoises and other native creatures depend on for sustenance. They stated that the area is being “torn apart by indiscriminate driving of the large equipment.”
Councilmember Bohen was the only councilmember to respond and visit the site
According to Eisenberg and Amato, the only person from the town who responded to their pleas is Councilmember Tim Bohen who agreed to visit the site. He believes that it is the responsibility of councilmembers “to oversee the Town Staff oversight of construction projects which have a negative impact on our beautiful environment…”
After visiting the site, Bohen said it was unclear to him why “more care is not being exercised in clearing the land.” He continued, “The contractor seems unaware of the habitat value of the land. Thus, standard techniques for clearing the land may be being used when there may be better options that allow the pipe to be installed with less impact to the habitat.”
What was supposed to happen vs. what actually happened
Mr. Amato informed LOVE that he encountered a town worker in that area some months ago and inquired about the plans. The town worker explained the scope of the work and assured Mr. Amato that the town would do all they could to preserve the lives of the tortoises and other wildlife, and that residents would be kept informed of what was going on and would be allowed to have input.
Mr. Amato states that this did not happen “and now life in the area where they are working is being destroyed. Trees torn apart, dens of tortoises and snakes gone…This is how to preserve and honor life? Where is the Mayor?”
The town worker told Mr. Amato that the trench for the water pipe would be about 12 feet wide, but Amato states that much of the destruction is 20 feet wide with some areas well over 30 feet wide and up to 60 feet wide. (Remember, this is for an 8-inch diameter pipe!) He asks, “Who is going to restore this area to its native state and who will oversee the restoration?”
Dr. Eisenberg stated that “this area has been severely impacted by American Tower workers, AT&T, Meritage Homes, and now Oro Valley government.” She said that the lack of response from Oro Valley government has been “deeply disheartening.”
The Town finally responded on February 7.
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Part 2 of this story, including the Town’s response, will be published tomorrow.
