Tuesday, May 1st, 2007...7:11 am
Developers in Another “Greenwash” Campaign?
In my last couple of drives to Phoenix, I’ve been struck by the two billboards that are up in opposition to a proposed rail yard emblazoned with the words “Save the Peak!”
I’m a bit confused about folks who want to save the senic beauty of Picacho Peak advertising their cause on large freeway billboards that block the view of the peak.
There is a bit of deception here though: the folks behind this may not be entirely concerned about saving the peak, but instead may be trying to make sure that the planned rail yard doesn’t ruin their plans to fill up the area with yet more cookie cutter chicken wire and drywall houses.
The rail yard is actually proposed for an area south of the peak, in the small community of Red Rock. “Save Red Rock” probably doesn’t have the same ring to it, I guess.
The rail yard is proposed for state trust land that is coveted by developers, and the land around it is also an area that some folks would like to build on. It would be hard to sell houses on the land if it is next to a smelly and noisy rail yard. A quick perusal of the Save the Peak website shows one of the folks backing this cause is Herb Kai, who lists himself as a farmer but is also a major land owner in the area that would like to develop that land. It also lists the managers of the trailer park, who didn’t seem to be so concerned about the pristine environment of the area when the trailer park was built right at the base of the peak. What we have here is a group of buisinessmen who want to see more development, not people who want to preserve the place.
I have no doubt that the rail yard will be noisy and a source of pollution, but developers casting themselves as protectors of the desert is a bit too much for me to swallow. Hey, anyone figure out how much noise and pollution will be caused by the extra traffic on I-10 if the area is developed?
1 Comment
May 1st, 2007 at 11:13 am
The rail yard may be noisier for the area, but isn’t the plan to move some of the rail activity from the heart of Tucson to allow more capacity for the rail yard. This could help reduce the # of truck on the road (and thus decrease pollution).
Besides, that rail yard will clearly use much less H2O than the development that is sure to go in the area.
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