Living Desert Alliance

Keep our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving

January 23, 2025


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Interstate 11

Action Update

Center for Biological Diversity Press Release


Great news! Yesterday, the Center for Biological Diversity, a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members, announced that in response to a lawsuit from conservation groups, the Federal Highway Administration and Arizona Department of Transportation have agreed to halt planning activities and reevaluate their approval of proposed Interstate 11.


As a result, a court stayed the case until the reevaluation is completed. Under the agreement, the Federal Highway Administration will review the interstate’s compliance with environmental laws and hold a 60-day public comment period.


“The interstate’s approval was based on a deeply flawed environmental analysis that the Federal Highway Administration now has a chance to fix,” said Russ McSpadden, Southwest conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, “the interstate would devastate treasured places like Sonoran Desert National Monuments (and) threaten endangered wildlife like cactus ferruginous pygmy owls."


Click here to review the entire press release and additional comments by representatives from the Tucson Audubon Society, the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection and The Friends of Ironwood Forest.


Bravo to the various organizations who worked together to accomplish this important step toward ending this disastrous project.

Update!

Picture Rocks

Cell Tower Review

 

February 4th


Mark your calendars and plan to attend the February 4th Pima County Board of Supervisors (PCBS) permit review of the 8-story cell tower proposed for Picture Rocks and adjacent Saguaro National Park West.


This is a make-or-break meeting finalizing a decision whether this unnecessary tower will be constructed. Support your neighbors by attending in person.


You do not need to speak. Instead, the Board has agreed with the Picture Rocks community’s request to allow their attorney Andrew Campanelli additional time to voice the projects faults and community concerns.


They are hoping to have 100+ participants in the chambers to emphasize community rejection of this needless tower. Unfortunately, PCBS does not recognize participants who attend, or comments submitted, via Zoom.

.

Community support and in person attendance

is crucial to defeat the permit proposal!


Meeting Details:

Date: 02/04/25

Time: 9 a.m.

Place: Pima County Administration Building: 130 W. Congress St.

1st Floor, Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, Tucson, AZ 85701

 

We’ll keep you posted!

Town of Marana Offers Irrigation Rebates


Last week we shared the Town of Marana’s High Efficiency Toilet Rebates program. This week we share another program offered by the town called Smart irrigation-controlled rebates.



This program includes weather-based technology that uses local weather and landscape conditions to reduce over watering. By replacing standard irrigation controllers (timers) with new and more efficient models, you can save up to $100 per controller with a maximum of 2 controllers.

Click here to learn more. Rebates - Town of Marana, AZ

Click here for rebate application. Town of Marana Rebate-Smart Irrigation

Meet Arizona’s New Bat Species

Confirmation of

Mexican Long-Nosed Bats

brings the state’s count to 29

 

The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is excited to share that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Bat Conservation International (BCI) have announced the confirmation of Mexican long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris nivalis) in southeastern Arizona.


The Mexican long-nosed bat, which is now Arizona’s only bat listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, brings the total number of bat species in our state to 29. Click here to learn more from the AZGFD. 


Photo by Mike Thomas

Reminders

City of Tucson’s

FoodCycle at Home Training Event

January 25th


Join the Food Waste Collection Programs FoodCycle at Home Training Event on Saturday, January 25th at Ried Park Zoo.


2025

Desert Fence Busters Events


Help the Desert Fence Busters remove outdated barbed wire fencing for wildlife.


Current 2025 Schedule:

  • Friday, January 24th*
  • Saturday, January 25th*
  • Friday, February 21st*

Environmental Day at the

State Capital.


Wed, Feb 12, 2025; 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM


Mark your calendars and join the Sierra Club and many other groups for the annual Environmental Day at the Arizona Capitol.


Meet with your legislators, hear great speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature for a cleaner environment. RSVP so they have enough materials, can put you in a team for legislative meetings, and can plan for food.


A chartered bus with limited seating is still available, so act now!


Event sponsored by the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club

Living Desert Alliance Website.Stop by for a visit 

Living Desert Alliance