The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer.
The San Pedro River is the last surviving undammed desert river in the Southwest. Itβs one of the nationβs environmental crown jewels β millions of songbirds stop there on their annual migrations.
The San Pedro is also world-renowned for its biodiversity. Nearly 45% of the 900 bird species in North America rely on the San Pedro River at some point in their lives. It supports one of the richest varieties of mammal species on Earth.
So itβs baffling β and deeply troubling β that Cochise County and the cities of Sierra Vista and Benson seem so determined to push the San Pedro to the brink of collapse.
Their uncontrolled deficit groundwater pumping intercepts water that would otherwise provide surface flow to the San Pedro River. And now the proposed Villages at Vigneto in Benson, which would add 28,000 new homes in a sprawling groundwater-dependent development, may well serve as a death knell for this incredible river.
Once this river is gone β a river that has lasted for thousands of years β it canβt come back.
Of course, Bensonβs mayor and vice mayor ignored the facts in their recent op-ed (βUrban elites attempting to dictate whatβs best for Cochise County,β Dec. 6). They also fail to disclose why, on the taxpayersβ dime, they are shilling so hard for an out-of-town billionaire developer.
Thereβs every reason to suspect that just out of view is the Washington, D.C., crisis management firm thatβs been hired to wage a PR war in favor of this Vigneto project. That firm is run by Lanny Davis, who represents Michael Cohen, President Trumpβs now-imprisoned former personal attorney, as well as having represented Bill Clinton and despotic leaders Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast and Teodoro Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.
This whole thing is developing a stink.
Thatβs why the Center for Biological Diversity just filed a public-records request with the city of Benson to get records connecting city officials to the Vigneto developers, Davisβ crisis management/PR firm and the shell group theyβve created to make it appear that thereβs a groundswell of local support for this destructive development.
Donβt forget: The executive director of this so-called βcoalitionβ lives in Washington, D.C., and one of the principals behind Vigneto, Mike Ingram, co-chaired an inaugural fundraiser selling access to President Trump with his sons, Don Jr. and Eric.
Itβs clear the Vigneto development is in trouble. The Arizona Daily Star has reported serious allegations of interference by political operatives to reverse a federal decision against the development. This interference is now the target of a congressional investigation.
Making matters worse is that these kinds of development projects have placed the areaβs major economic engine, Fort Huachuca, at extreme risk. Because Sierra Vista and Cochise County have refused to adequately help the base control its troopsβ and contractorsβ off-post groundwater pumping, the base could face significant downsizing.
The future of the San Pedro River hangs in the balance.
Just because someone chooses to live in a rural area and gets duped by another new developer does not give them the right to destroy a public treasure like the San Pedro.
It is held in trust for future generations. We will continue to do everything possible to protect the river and the incredible wildlife that depend upon it.