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Home My WebLink AboutHistorical Records - Miscellaneous (28) County approves CDO plans , 50-year capacity included (Continued from page 1) Walter Chaffee,with signatures from five homeowners submitting the plans to EPA,a major funding problem association presidents around Tucson National Golf remains, according to County Sanitation Director Club, claims that there are several "secondary Byron Howard. impacts" which should be studied before a Federal Howard said that although the local share of the grant be approved for the interceptor. project-- approximately $450,000 -- is available from Chaffee,who said the eight signatures on the letter the 1974 bond election,federal funding may be another represent "over 1,000 home-owners and taxpayers," matter. pPayers claims that the interceptor "has been designed to Federal funds are distributed to individual states as accommodate a population growth as anticipated lump sums for allocation to individual projects. p by the Tortolita Area Plan, which has not as yet been In Arizona,the state Water Quality Control Commis- approved by the (County Board of) Supervisors." sion has ranked the interceptor 46th on a list of � Chaffee also charged that the interceptor has been priorities. designed to support and encouragerowth in the Howard said the state is expected to fund"about the g northwest. first 26"on that list. "If it (the priority list) holds through Aug. 10, then That additional growth, he added, could cause there'll be no federal funding," Howard said, adding serious economic problems for the Amphitheater and that the interceptor's chances of a,better funding Marana school districts. priority could increase if the state board can be convinced the project"is not growth-inducing.'' Chaffee also claims that present underground water Howard said that if the federal funds do not come reserves are inadequate to serve additional growth in through this year, they may be"way down the road." the area, citing a report prepared for Southwest He also said that, if federal funding is not obtained Environmental Service by former Metropolitan Utili- this year, "we would go to the board with a ties Management agency policy advisory board 1 recommendation that the project be totally funded member Barbara Tellman. locally." In that report, Tellman claims that groundwater 1 The present price tag on the project is approximately resources are being depleted"as a result of pumping to $1.8 million. provide water for the existing population." 1 Representatives of the County Sanitation Dept. and Chaffee also said that the growth encouraged by the 1 consultants on the CDO project presented a summary interceptor would contribute to the energy problem 1 of the plans to the Oro Valley Town Council in a study since "development of the Tortolita area will require session Friday. at least two gasoline powered vehicles per family to Support for the interceptor plan came strongly from enable wage earners to go to and from work." 1 Councilman A.Lauren Rhude,who told the consultants "This can only contribute to the general pollution in they could "leave the other map (detailing the four the area,and a great use of scarce gasoline,"he adds. rejected alternatives) in the car." In addition, Chaffee's said the people in Oro Valley do not want thehaffee s letter claims that it could lead small treatment plants or oxidation ponds and pointed to development which could lead to impedance of out that they had fought county plans for oxida- water recharge rates in the Canada del Oro acquifer as tion ponds once before. well as leap-frog development in the northwest. In June 1973, Oro Valley area residents laid down in In addition to Chaffee, the letter was signed by front of county machinery attempting to bulldoze the Robert Miller, Casas del Oro Norte Improvement ponds. Association; Robert Wilson, Tucson National East Although the addendum to the CDO proposal has not Improvement Association; Robert Griffin, Casas del yet been sent to the EPA, some area residents are Oro Improvement Association; Mary Tansey, Cortaro already protesting the plans. Acres Homeowners; and Richard Leddy, Dateland In a letter to EPA administrator Paul De Falco, Water Company. 3 City • Oro Valley take seats Marana , By WALT NETT .tentative refusal to fund PAG for the coming fiscal Rumblings from City Hall continued last week after year."What is good for Lew Murphy is not necessarily the Pima Association of Governments (PAG) regional good for Tucson." planning council voted to admit Oro Valley as an equal ,r Walker charged that Murphy is "taking a self- voting member on the council and readmitted Marana serving position" in PAG operations. at its May 26 meeting. Should the city pull out of the regional planning Following the PAG meeting, Tucson Mayor Lewis group,he added,"I think the county would be willing to Murphy, who is chairman of the regional council, pick up the lion's share with the remaining jurisdic- reiterated his threats of a city pullout,saying that city tions." staff was looking into the advantages of leaving the Walker warned that a pullout could have serious group. consequences for the city. In a May 26 budget review session, the City Council "When the city starts a project on its own,it will be tentatively decided not to fund PAG for the coming looked at with a jaundiced eye by the Feds because it fiscal year. doesn't have regional support,"Walker said. "Murphy The city presently funds 47 per cent of the PAG is doing a disservice to the city by taking that budget, which amounted to some $35,000 this year. position." Oro Valley will be represented by Vice-Mayor E.S. The pending city pullout has left PAG officials un- "Steve" Engle, while Mayor Don Frew represents sure about local funding for the coming fiscal year. Marana on the regional council. Although PAG is largely funded by federal and state monies,it does draw some monies from local govern- Before the final vote on admitting Marana and Oro ments. Valley, Murphy proposed a compromise voting According to PAG Executive Director Paul Mackey, structure which would give the city and county three the local government share will come to ap- votes each, and the smaller municipalities two votes proximately $82,000. each. In the past,he said,that has been divided up with the Murphy's original voting structure gave the city and city and county each paying approximately 47 per cent, county five votes each,with the smaller municipalities and South Tucson providing the remaining six per cent. each receiving one vote. Mackey said no decision has been reached yet on this "The mayor (Murphy) misled the council and is year's local government ratio because of the additions doing an injustice to Tucson," County Supervisors of Marana and Oro Valley and the city's possible Chairman E.S. "Bud" Walker said of the council's withholding of funds. ,aa'.