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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (48912)	6/11/2004 4:38:03 PM
From: one_less	Respond to of 89467

"Grand Canyon in deep trouble Panel can't agree on how to fix it That was resolved sometime back when a private group of philanthropists decided to step in. Let's Fill It Up by Hank Treon Excavators, dirt scrapers and rock piles now are helping nature heal the once scarred landscape of the South Western United States. This ugly pock-marked river ravaged and pitted site of massive erosion is to be the future home of luxury condominiums. Housing developer Benny Gomez is about to start pouring tons of concrete down into the bowels of the canyon in order to construct the initial construction super highway. The over sight committee's primary responsibility is the approval (or denial) of plans submitted by all development units and exploration operations with surface disturbances greater than five acres. The committee reviews and analyzes reclamation plans (including reclamation cost estimates), and makes recommendations to the economic benefits inspector for approval or denial of proposed plans. Other program responsibilities include the coordinated review and approval of reclamation plans with consideration of upcoming (proposed) economic development acts. This initial reach of the canyon falls in the shadows of the lovely Bright Angel lodge located on what has been known as the South Rim of the Canyon. Organizers say this model vision of the future is meant to push this region of the South West back into its proper place. This month, excavators are fortifying remaining canyon walls, placing jetty-like rock bars in the Colorado River and even scraping a path through the old river bottom in hopes eventually to re-align the river into its pre-errosion path. "Basically, we're telling the river that you've gone far enough," says Dave Mathers of Reclamation Inc., which is part of a consortium of businesses, groups and government agencies spearheading the project. "We're saying that we need to bump you back to the other direction. "In other words," Mathers says, "The North Rim will become riverfront property." If left unchecked, geologists say future erosion promises just more of the same devastation to the environment year after year, before finally popping out through who knows what.. " Ironically, the plan's ultimate success hinges upon whether engineers can continue to harness the hydropower that initially cued us into this fantastic economic development opportunity,” reports Mathers. The work does not instantly reroute the Colorado down its original path. It simply steers future run offs toward beneficial changes in the river - pushing gravel into the current path and, eventually, winding itself into its old channel. Single-family houses that used to stand on the site in the 1400 block of Grandview are now being demolished, and Mathers plans to begin construction this summer. He thinks the $30 million condo project will be completed by fall 2003. The units will sell for $400,000 to $800,000 each, but the price for a few units could top $1 million because some buyers want to combine two units into one larger unit. "Units can be customized to individual tastes," Mathers said. There also will be four penthouse units whose cost will be considerably higher. "Torquois Vista is a very good start on the architectural renovation of the western end of Grand Canyon Avenue," said Sherry Barnett, director of the Bright Angel Trail Development Corp., a neighborhood group. It could "set the pace for superior architectural design" for eventual residential buildings on the adjoining 1500 and 1600 blocks of Grand Canyon, she added.