Unfortunately, the high-voltage lines would traverse canyon and bluff--and slice through the Tucson Wildlife Corridor. They would dissect Avra Valley within view of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and run adjacent to Tucson Mountain Park and Saguaro National Park West.
If that weren't enough, on August 17 Tucson Electric Power announced its own plans for constructing power lines into Mexico. While TEP argues its lines would travel existing power corridors and avoid degrading the environment, the plan raises questions about potential effects on electricity flow in Tucson and the larger TEP service area. Watch the Weekly for electrifying coverage over the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, care to opine on this high-powered flow of events? Contact Ellen Russell; she's riding herd on the project for the U.S. Deptartment of Energy.
Write her at:
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Fossil Energy
Mail Stop FE-27
1000 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20585
Or e-mail her: Ellen Russell@HQ.DOE.GOV. Or call (888) 806-3421.
To get involved locally, contact stoplines@hotmail.com, or call 883-4695.
