CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
BECAUSE LIFE IS GOOD

Protecting endangered species and wild places through
science, policy, education, and environmental law.

For Immediate Release June 1, 2005
FOR INFO: Dr. Robin Silver, Center for Biological Diversity Board Chair, 602.246.4170
Notice of Intent to Sue Filed March, 2005
Suit Filed June 1, 2005

Fort Huachuca violations of San Pedro compact challenged

Lawsuit filed to secure mitigation for new expansion and to stop River jeopardy

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and Maricopa Audubon Society have filed a lawsuit against Fort Huachuca, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to challenge violations of the August 23, 2002, Biological Opinion. These violations jeopardize the San Pedro River and its dependent endangered species.[1] In the August 23, 2002, Biological Opinion, Fort Huachuca and DoD promised not expand by more than 500 people through 2011.[2] Since the August 23, 2002, Biological Opinion, Fort Huachuca and DoD have added and/or committed locally at least 2,851 new people and $621.5 million in direct, interrelated, and/or interdependent activities without using commonly accepted personnel and financial multipliers.[3] Using multipliers,[4] this equates to 11,917 new people and $1.044 billion. [5] In addition, even more direct, interrelated, interdependent activities are proposed, but not yet committed. These equal at least 5,948 more people and $71.8 million without multipliers.[6] The peril to the San Pedro River and its dependent endangered species has increased since the August 23, 2002, Biological Opinion.[7] The peril has increased owing to the following facts:

- Increasing Fort Huachuca and DoD funded activities have caused an increase in off post water company deficit pumping by 13.8% from 2001 to 2003.[8]

- The local groundwater deficit has increased by between 63.3% (from -5,144 to -8,400[9] acre-feet/year) according to Arizona Department of Water Resources 2002 data,[10] and 134.3% (-5,144 to -12,050[11] acre-feet/year) according to U.S. Geological Survey 2003 data.[12] (The August 23, 2002, Biological Opinion mitigation is based on local groundwater deficit of 5,144 acre-feet/year.[13])

- San Pedro River base flow, or the water in the stream during the driest times of the year, continues decreasing dramatically.[14]

- The latest data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ data reveals that the Fort Huachuca/Sierra Vista groundwater-pumping center is now negatively affecting the flow gradient near the San Pedro.[15]

This lawsuit joins the ongoing case against the Veterans Administration (VA), Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). On April 5, 2005, CBD filed a suit against VA, FHA and SBA to stop their failure to disclose the full extent of the damage caused by their lending, loan guarantees, and underwriting programs in the Fort Huachuca area.

EarthJustice provides legal representation for these San Pedro River-saving efforts.

[1] 16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2); 50 C.F.R. 402.2; ACOE 2003; ADWR 1996b, 2004a; Arizona Corporation Commission 2002, 2003, 2004; Arizona Daily Star 2004a; Border Patrol 2003, 2004a, 2004b, 2004c; CBD v. DoD 1999, pp. 2,5; CEC 1999b; Department of Interior 2004; EEC 2001; FHA 2004; Fort Huachuca 2002c, 2003c, 2004a, 2004b, 2004c, 2004d, 2005; Haas and Frye 1999; SBA 2005; Sierra Vista Herald 2003c, 2003d, 2004a, 2004c, 2004d; 2004e, 2004g, 2004h, 2004i, 2004k, 2004l, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2005d; USFWS 1998a, 1998b, 1998c, 1998d, 1999b, 1999c, 2002; USGS 1999a, 2004a; VA 2004b
[2] USFWS 2002, pp. 47-8, 54, 128
[3] Arizona Daily Star 2005b; Border Patrol 2003, 2004a, 2004b; FHA 2004; Fort Huachuca 2003c, 2004b, 2004c, 2004d; SBA 2005; Sierra Vista Herald 2003c, 2003d, 2004c, 2004e, 2004h, 2004l, 2005a; VA 2004b
[4] Census 2000; Fort Huachuca 1999
[5] Arizona Daily Star 2005b; Border Patrol 2003, 2004a, 2004b; Census 2000; FHA 2004; Fort Huachuca 1999, 2003c, 2004b, 2004c, 2004d; SBA 2005; Sierra Vista Herald 2003c, 2003d, 2004c, 2004e, 2004h, 2004l, 2005a; VA 2004b
[6] Border Patrol 2004c; FHA 2004; Sierra Vista 2002; Sierra Vista Herald 2002a, 2002b, 2003c, 2004a, 2004d, 2004g, 2004i, 2004k, 2005b
[7] 16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2); 50 C.F.R. 402.2; ACOE 2003; ADWR 1994b, 1996b, 2004a, 2005a, 2005b; AGFD 2005; Arizona Corporation Commission 2002, 2003, 2004; Arizona Daily Star 2004a, 2005a; Arizona Daily Sun 2004; Arizona Republic 2003c, 2003d, 2004a, 2004b, 2004c, 2004d, 2004e; Border Patrol 2003, 2004a, 2004b, 2004c; CBD v. DoD 1999, pp. 2,5; CEC 1999b; CNN 2004, 2005; Cook, et al. 2004; Department of Interior 2004; EEC 2001; FHA 2004; Fort Huachuca 2002c, p, 88, Appendix K, 2004a, 2004b, 2004c, 2004d, 2005; Haas and Frye 1999; High Country News 2005; National Geographic 2004; NOAA 2005; Observer/UK 2004; SBA 2005; Sierra Vista Herald 2003a, 2003c, 2003d, 2004a, 2004c, 2004d; 2004e, 2004g, 2004h, 2004i, 2004k, 2004l, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c, 2005d; ; USFWS 2002, p. 90; USGS 1999a, 2004a; SWRAG 2000; Tucson Citizen 2004; USFWS 1990c, 1998a, 1998b, 1998c, 1998d, 1999b, 1999c, 2002, 2003; USGS 1999a, 1999b, 2004a; VA 2004a, 2004b; Washington Post 2005
[8] Arizona Corporation Commission 2002, 2003, 2004
[9] Department of the Interior 2004, Appendix C – Sierra Vista Subwatershed Ground-Water Budget, Table C1. Summarization of predevelopment ground-water budgets for the Sierra Vista Subwatershed, ADWR 2002 data; and Appendix D – ADWR Ground-Water Budget for the Sierra Vista Subwatershed for 2002;
[10] Department of the Interior 2004, Appendix C – Sierra Vista Subwatershed Ground-Water Budget, Table C1. Summarization of predevelopment ground-water budgets for the Sierra Vista Subwatershed, ADWR 2002 data; and Appendix D – ADWR Ground-Water Budget for the Sierra Vista Subwatershed for 2002; Fort Huachuca 2002c, p, 88, Appendix K; USFWS 2002, p. 90
[11] Department of the Interior 2004, Appendix C – Sierra Vista Subwatershed Ground-Water Budget, Table C1. Summarization of predevelopment ground-water budgets for the Sierra Vista Subwatershed, USGS 2003 data
[12] Department of the Interior 2004, Appendix C – Sierra Vista Subwatershed Ground-Water Budget, Table C1. Summarization of predevelopment ground-water budgets for the Sierra Vista Subwatershed, USGS 2003 data; Fort Huachuca 2002c, p, 88, Appendix K; USFWS 2002, p. 90
[13] Fort Huachuca 2002c, p, 88, Appendix K; USFWS 2002, p. 90
[14] ADWR 1996b; CEC 1999b; USGS 1999a, 2004a
[15] ACOE 2003

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