On Tuesday, February 14th at 10:00 AM the State Land Department will host a public comment hearing at City Hall, regarding the City of Flagstaff's proposed acquisition of Picture Canyon.

Picture Canyon is a portion of the Rio De Flag lying in State Trust land and located East of the City's Wildcat Hill wastewater treatment plant. It is a National Historic Site with rock art, a waterfall and rare perennial wetlands. The hard work of the Picture Canyon Working Group has resulted in the State Land Department being willing to consider that conservation rather than development would be the best use of this land.

Please try and attend this meeting and show your support for the permanent protection of Picture Canyon. For more information about the canyon and the work being done to preserve it see: http://friendsoftheriodeflag.org/pc/picture_canyon/Acquisition.html.

City sponsored public forum on reclaimed water at the DuBois Center at NAU - south campus 6:30 pm on Monday, December 5th.

F3 has expressed a concern regarding the potential bias of some speakers. We received a response from the city trying to defend the legitimacy of the panel by explaining that panelists were chosen to not only represent the science but also the regulatory environment (ADEQ), the technology or best practices (Carpenter), and what Flagstaff is doing (Brad Hill). In addition we were told that the structure of the forum will not be an open mic but rather handing out comment cards for people to write questions on. City staff will be circulating and collecting the cards.  Deputy City Manager over Utilities and the City Manager will scan the cards to find the most recurring questions and put them in that order for each speaker.

These are the questions we hope will be answered.  Please consider asking these or similar questions as well:

Science questions:

A recent study by LaPara et al 2011 demonstrates the consistent occurrence of antibiotic resistance bacteria, known as superbacteria, in even the cleanest reclaimed water. What are the implications of such a study for the future of reclaimed water treatment and release?

What effect do the endocrine disruptors have on human health and what studies have evaluated impacts of a long-term exposure to these disruptors?

For what chemical compounds is reclaimed water tested and for what it is not? What are the specific dangers associated with all tested and untested chemicals?

What do peer reviewed studies tell us about impacts of a long-term application of reclaimed water on a natural ecosystem?

What specific, data-backed effects have been observed on humans who come in pro-longed and/or repeating direct contact with reclaimed water?

Questions to Flagstaff Water Utilities:

How does our reclaimed water treatment facility and measures compare to the rest of the country/other countries?

Question to ADEQ about snowmaking:

How does AQEQ certification of reclaimed water use for snowmaking address submersion, eating of snow, and constant human contact?

We have learned that additional groups have expressed their concern with the choice of panelists and our dialogue with the City continues. 

If you have any other questions about this event and our discussion between City staff please contact Andy Bessler at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Last week Gosar introduced legislation that would block the Obama administration from protecting 1 million acres of public land around Grand Canyon National Park from new uranium mining.

Join for a peaceful gathering in front of Gosar's office to remind him that he represents people, not uranium corporations, and that the people he represents want Grand Canyon protected.

Date: Wednesday October 19th 2011
Time: 11:00 am
Place: Safeway parking lot on the NE corner of Cedar & North West Street

Check out the Facebook page for more info.

Flagstaff has joined hundreds of cities and little towns across the united states (and the world) in a social movement to end corporate control and an unbalanced financial system.

Join the lively protests, general assemblies, and discussions every Saturday till further notice.

Check out  http://occupyflagstaff.org/ for more information.

Dear Secretary Salazar,

I support protecting the Grand Canyon's entire 1-million-acre watershed from uranium mining as outlined in Alternative B in the Draft Northern Arizona Proposed Withdrawal Environmental Impact Statement and Revisions to the Withdrawal Application, Arizona.

Grand Canyon National Park is an international treasure. The diversity of habitats resulting from its great depth, its diverse topography, and its isolated seeps, springs and caves make it one of the most biologically diverse national parks in the United States.

Uranium mining threatens to industrialize iconic wildlands surrounding the Grand Canyon with dozens of new mines, damage wildlife habitat, and pollute and deplete aquifers feeding the Grand Canyon's biologically critical seeps, springs and caves.

Neither the federal government nor mining companies can guarantee that mining would not contaminate or deplete aquifers feeding Grand Canyon's seeps, springs and caves. And if it did happen, that pollution would be impossible to clean up.

Public lands surrounding the Grand Canyon -- and Grand Canyon National Park itself -- already suffer from a legacy of uranium mining pollution. More uranium mining would only add to that legacy in a time when the government should be focused on cleaning that legacy up.

Grand Canyon National Park supplies hundreds of millions of dollars of annual revenue to Arizona, Utah and Nevada. Contamination or industrialization from uranium mining threatens that tourism industry and the livelihoods of local residents who depend on it.

Please protect the Grand Canyon watershed by withdrawing the entire area described in Alternative B from location and entry under the Mining Law for 20 years.

Thank you.

• Our community is the gateway to Walnut Canyon National Monument and it is our responsibility to defend and protect the park from development of any kind intruding on the park experience.
• The sound of gunfire will degrade the visitor experience to Walnut Canyon National Monument. Visitors will no longer be able to experience natural quiet, as did the prehistoric inhabitants of Walnut Canyon. Arizona Game and Fish can make no guarantee that gunfire will not be heard, only that it will be legally acceptable.
• According to the National Park Service, constant gunfire noise will cause rare raptors within and around the monument to abandon their territories or affect their ability to nest in the area. These include the Golden Eagle, Mexican Spotted Owl, Northern Goshawk and Peregrine Falcon.
• Walnut Canyon National Monument and Citizens of the greater Flagstaff area were not approached regarding plans for the shooting range and had no opportunity to communicate our concerns prior to the purchase of Foster Ranch.
• According to the National Park Service, wildlife corridors promoted and protected by the National Park Service will be disrupted by this location for the range. In particular, the wildlife movement within the Cherry Canyon-Anderson Mesa Corridor, a heavily forested corridor on the north slope of Anderson Mesa, which connects Walnut Canyon to the less developed lands to the south, will be severely impacted. Species of concern in this area include the black bear, antelope, wild turkey and bald eagles.
• Additional roadside activity and use of the access road to Foster Ranch will increase visitation and potential damage to the archeological sites in the east Walnut Canyon area. This road lies just west of the current study area for expansion and could become a major area of dispersed camping and recreation for those using the shooting range. Off road vehicle use is of particular concern.
• Game and Fish has said that it wants a range within 30 minutes of the City of Flagstaff. In the 15 years it has been trying to find a location none have been acceptable to the adjacent community, including this one. It is time the Game and Fish reconsider it’s 30-minute requirement and expand their search for a suitable location.
• Future expansion or protection of the lands surrounding Walnut Canyon National Monument are threatened by the location of this shooting range. Why would the US Forest Service choose to protect lands within an area that is already degraded by noise, traffic and visitation? This could potentially pave the way for further development surrounding Walnut Canyon.

The next city council meeting is an important one for F-cubed. The zoning code discussion will be about the new Sustainablity Division. Also on the agenda is a presentation by the city Rainwater Harvesting Stakeholder Group that has been working on an ordinance to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for new construction. F3 Board Member Lisa Rayner was the F3 representative on the Stakeholder Group. After the official group presentation, Lisa will be making a 15 minute presentation on why the Council should consider stronger rainwater harvesting guidelines than those created by the stakeholder group.

The meeting is Tuesday, Jan. 25, 5:30 p.m., 211 W. Aspen Ave., City Council Chambers. If you cannot attend this meeting, consider e-mailing the council at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it in support of mandatory language in the zoning code regarding sustainability requirements and a strong rainwater harvesting (RWH) ordinance that includes active rainwater harvesting (i.e., in cisterns) for single family residential homes.

To learn more about the Sustainability Division in the new zoning code, visit www.flagstaff.az.gov/index.aspx?nid=1416 and click on Chapter 10-30: General to All. Sustainability begins on page 30.70-1. The sections in sustainability include: solar access, non-motorized modes of transportation, economic sustainability, urban agriculture, water conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy and solid waste management. The current draft allows or encourages sustainable practices for new construction, but does not mandate them.

The Rainwater Harvesting Stakeholder Group's recommendations are: 1. Active rainwater harvesting systems are mandatory, with a storage tank sized to capture a minimum of 1" of rainfall from the roof, or to provide anticipated annual landscaping water demand, whichever is less, for new developments (including those less than ¼ acre) other than single family residential. EXCEPT: In cases in which the developer uses exclusively native/drought-tolerant plants in compliance with zoning code landscaping standards and utilizes passive rainwater harvesting; or, Where landscaping water demand can be met through other sources of non-potable water. 2. Require passive rainwater harvesting techniques (earthshaping for maximum infiltration into the soil) for all new single-family homes. F-cubed would like to see cisterns (active RWH) also required for single family residential homes. Families could use stored rainwater to water vegetable gardens and fruit trees, flush toilets, and for other uses that do not require drinking water.

For more information, contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Flagstaff City Council last Tuesday took public comments regarding the Foster Ranch shooting range location after a presentation from the Arizona Game and Fish Department. F3 members, National Park Service, Friends of Walnut Canyon and the Sierra Club all encouraged the council to let Game and Fish know that this location is a bad choice for Flagstaff and Walnut Canyon. With over a 100,000 visitors a year the National Monument is an integral part of our local economy. A shooting range will also add to our economy, but speakers in opposition to this location, most of whom support a shooting range, asked the council to protect Walnut Canyon from the noise, potential impacts on Canyon wildlife and potential intrusion into the park from an improved road along the East side of the Walnut Canyon study area. Council closed the public hearing Tuesday, but tabled discussion until a future meeting.

Please let the City Council know that it’s their and our responsibility as neighbors to this special place to protect it and oppose this inappropriate location for a shooting range. Email your comments to:

Flagstaff City Council: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Arizona Game and Fish Commission: http://www.azgfd.gov/comments.shtml

The City of Flagstaff and Coconino County have started a blog to Help shape the Regional Plan 2012. You can visit their website to learn more about their plans and submit your comments to help shape the way our community will look in 2012.

Visit the Regional Plan 2012 Blog...