Grand Canyon Development Halted After US Forest Service Denounced Proposal to Widen Roads and Build Infrastructure near South Rim

The proposal for Grand Canyon's development to widen roads and build infrastructure near the famous South Rim was turned down by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The decision of the U.S. land managers gave environmentalists, conservation groups, and the Native American tribes a reason to celebrate following years of debate.

The plan for Grand Canyon's development was submitted in 2014 by the town of Tusayan, a municipal composing of nearly 600 residents on the edge of Arizona's popular national park.  The proposal includes building of 2,100 homes, restaurants, hotels, a spa, and an entertainment pavilion near South Rim under Stilo Development, an Italian corporation.  However, Grand Canyon's development plan became an issue of debate between its supporters and environmentalists.  The controversial issue now comes to end following the USFS' decision to reject the proposal, according to Phoenix New Times.

Kaibab Forest Supervisor Heather Provencio wrote to the mayor of Tusayan that USFS is refusing to approve the proposal because the project would not only "stress local and park infrastructure and have untold impacts to the surrounding Tribal and National Park lands, [but it's] deeply controversial [and] is opposed by local and national communities. There is significant evidence the proposal is not in the public interest."

As reported by Infozine, the environmentalists argue that Grand Canyon's development could damage the water resources, local ecosystem, and important tribal lands. The head of the Grand Canyon also regarded the proposal as among the national park's greatest threat in its 100 years of history.  The public shared the same sentiments claiming the plan could endanger wildlife, water and wilderness of the park.  Advocates debated that the project is good for the local economy in terms of revenues.

"This is a great day for Grand Canyon National Park, and those who love its stunning vistas, abundant wildlife, and rich cultural heritage. The Forest Service was right to say yes to the public interest by protecting one of the most awe-inspiring places on earth, and no to the bloated development plans that threatened the park," Ted Zukoski, Earthjustice attorney said, Reuters reports.

At the height of the contentious Grand Canyon's development plan debate, the USFS claimed that they received a total of 2,447 unique comment letters, two petitions with 105,698 signatures, 85,693 form letters, and 86 other comments.

Tags

Grand Canyon, South Rim, world heritage national park, U.S. Forest Service, USFS

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