2019

Updated May 23, 2019 - Posted March 2, 2019 - Charles Miles

SunZia News

The proximity of SunZia’s route to the San Manuel Ray Blair Airport triggered an FAA review of the project resulted in several notable changes – the proposed route of the line now runs closer to Oracle State Park, lines in the area will be required to have marker balls and 21 of the towers will have lights on top. A string of glowing lights in the San Pedro River Valley would be a disappointing addition – I am unsure about the impact to the views from Oracle State Park but this is a particularly unwelcome addition considering the International Dark Sky Park designation that Oracle State Park has achieved. This change has not yet been officially approved so there is some hope that a better solution might be found. The Arizona Corporation Commission eDocket for SunZia has documents related to this proposed change including comments from the Friends of Oracle State Park and Cascabel Working Group.

SunZia - FCC Route change bringing the line closer to Oracle State Park - not indicated on this map are the locations of the 21 towers that will require lights... February 2019. — SunZia – FCC Route change bringing the line closer to Oracle State Park – not indicated on this map are the locations of the 21 towers that will require lights… February 2019.

In July of 2018 the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission issued a Recommended Decision that denied SunZia’s request for location approval. After several months of additional filings, motions and responses that decision was upheld in a Final Order issued in September 2018. The request was denied ‘without prejudice’ so it is just a matter of time before SunZia submits this request again.

In October of 2018 the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission approved the location of Pattern Development’s Corona Wind Projects which allows construction to begin on an estimated 950 wind turbines. The projects – Duran Mesa, Cowboy Mesa, Red Cloud, Tecolote, Ancho and Viento Loco – are located in Lincoln, Torrance and Guadalupe counties in east-central NM. The project includes a 140 mile transmission line project that will connect this project with SunZia so that the generated energy can be sold to western states. Pattern Energy announced that purchase agreements have been made with Silicon Valley Clean Energy and Monterey Bay Community Power in California. A Utility Dive article indicates that Pattern Energy will be working with SunZia on the resubmittal of their application to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

North – Davis Mesa Road to Peck Spring – Summer

Saguaro ribs along the SunZia route north or Davis Mesa Road. July 2018.

Wandering cross-country thru the saguaros has a rhythm, a shape – step forward step forward; — pause — look; step to the side, squeeze thru, step forward step forward… Sometimes your path doubles back on itself and starts again – sometimes it curves with the landscape – never steady, never straight, infinite variations on a theme.

North of Edgar Canyon and the Davis Mesa road the SunZia Transmission heads north – white hills, red hills and down into flatter terrain before turning to the northwest to parallel the existing gas line. Previous section that I hiked had deep canyons – substantial vertical gains and losses – SunZia’s route is obviously a straight line on the map, but the experience of trying to follow it across broken terrain really didn’t bring to mind straight lines and clean angles. Today is different – a straight line thru this gently rolling desert is alien, infuriating – SunZia’s mechanical progression out of place and lacking grace, even the old road towards Peck Spring curves and matches landscape…

In this short section there will be 7 towers, 2 tension pads and 5 new access roads – it is nice to turn away and make the short walk to the Peck Spring area.

SunZia Route - leaving the Davis Mesa. July 2018. — SunZia Route – leaving the Davis Mesa. July 2018.

Fallen Saguaro fruit along the Sunzia Route. July 2018.

Red rock along the SunZia route. July 2018.

East side of the Santa Catalina Mountains from the SunZia Route north of Davis Mesa Road. July 2018.

SunZia Route Map - Davis Mesa Road to the road to Peck Spring. July 2018. — SunZia Route Map – Davis Mesa Road to the road to Peck Spring. July 2018.

Interlude – Peck Spring

Dry tank in the Peck Spring Area. July 2018.

A maze of chutes and fencing in the Peck Spring area. July 2018.

Gila Monster above Peck Canyon. July 2018.

Beautiful Tree shooting up from Peck Spring. July 2018.

The name ‘Peck’ predates Arizona’s statehood and surrounded by old fences and corrals I can’t help but think about the small bits of history I have learned over the past few years – from Bernard W. Muffley’s 1938 History of the Lower San Pedro Valley, pages 29-30:

In 1885 the Bayless and Berkalew Company purchased the homesteads of William and Edward Peck. Near by on a school section they founded a ranch later known as the Sacaton. From this humble beginning the company gradually increased its interests until at one time it comprised 9000 acres of patented land. Starting about the same time, Demitrus Markham built up a large ranch between Sacaton and Reddington. Later, however, this land was acquired by Bayless and Berkalew. The trade of this section of the San Pedro Valley became so important that in the summer of 1885 a road was constructed across Cabadillo Pass into the San Pedro Valley. On this same road Dr. C. H. Davis, brother of W. C. Davis of the San Pedro Valley, was ambushed and killed by the Indians early in June, 1886. Thus the fact is shown that bands of renegade Apaches were still at large.

The map below is drawn from the Bureau of Land Management’s General Land Office Records and shows land ownership along the San Pedro before 1900. Of course the San Pedro River Valley has been inhabited for thousands of years, in the big picture all the names here represent newcomers – but a number of these names make their way onto present day maps and histories. Whitlock Canyon, Peck Basin, Peck Canyon, Peck Spring, Stratton Canyon (and the very interesting Pioneering in Arizona, The Reminiscences of Emerson Oliver Stratton & Edith Stratton Kitt), Davis Mesa, Redfield Canyon, Bollen Wash, Markham Canyon… Land ownership was concentrated along the river – still somewhat true today – and the original 1880 survey for 10S18E leaves much of the land farther from the river basically blank with labels indicating ‘land rough’ and ‘land broken by canyons’.

General Land Office Land Ownership along the San Pedro before 1900. February 2019.

Original Survey of Township 10S Range 18E - approved in 1880 with land ownership, including the Peck's land, overlaid and Alder Wash and Kielberg Canyon labeled. February 2019. — Original Survey of Township 10S Range 18E – approved in 1880 with land ownership, including the Peck’s land, overlaid and Alder Wash and Kielberg Canyon labeled. February 2019.

South – Black Hills Mine Road to Peck Canyon – Winter

Cracks and ripples in a fallen Prickly Pear. January 2019.

It’s been some time since I followed the SunZia route – a break from the heat, a break from thinking about SunZia – but it isn’t time to stop and today I head south from Black Hills Mine Road. Rippling hills, alternating white and red soils, views across the valley to the Galiuros… But dominating the day are the cracks in the landscape – steep sided dirt and rock washes, awkward and loose, dry rocks and sand at the bottom – V shaped views down into the valley and across to the Galiuros. Cool winter weather and the occasional feeling of being nowhere – a beautiful day.

Wash and Saguaros along the SunZia Transmission Line route. January 2019.

Red Sand, Prickly Pear and Brittle Bush. January 2019.

Panoramic view of the Galiuros across the San Pedro River, the SunZia Route will run south on the far right. January 2019.

Sand and rocks in an unnamed wash. January 2019.

SunZia Route Map - Peck Canyon to Black Hills Mine Road. February 2019. — SunZia Route Map – Peck Canyon to Black Hills Mine Road. February 2019.

SunZia, Buehman Canyon to Brush Corral Road – 1/8/2018, 1/16/2018, 2/25/2018, 2/26/2018

Updated May 26, 2019 - Posted March 19, 2018 - Charles Miles

(This is Part Two of a series of Posts on the SunZia Transmission Line Project – the previous post was SunZia – Redington Road North to Buehman Canyon – 12/12/2017. See the bottom of either post for more information about SunZia.)

The rocks look like maps – they remind me of the shape of the San Pedro River and of the brutal line that the SunZia project may cut thru this landscape. On four different days I explored the canyons under, and terrain around, the proposed SunZia route – from the north edge of Buehman Canyon, across the hills to Edgar Canyon and up to the Brush Corral Road.

In Buehman Canyon - looking up at the sky - the lines of the SunZia project may one day interrupt this view. February 2018. — In Buehman Canyon – looking up at the sky – the lines of the SunZia project may one day interrupt this view. February 2018.

Recent rains must have filled Buehman Canyon with water – there is wall to wall slippery mud and debris pressed against the tree trunks. I suppose the power lines hanging overhead won’t change the canyon much, but there is an infinite difference between nothing and something.

Sitting on the south side of the Buehman Canyon the first stars of the evening appear over the SunZia route – towers on the canyon sides may eventually carry the transmission lines across Buehman Canyon – man-made shapes added to the dark silhouette of land below the stars.

First stars appearing - looking south across Buehman Canyon on the Proposed SunZia Route. February 2018. — First stars appearing – looking south across Buehman Canyon on the Proposed SunZia Route. February 2018.

Early in the morning the milky way is low in the sky and frost covers my gear, a cold start quickly changes to a warm day hiking north thru the desert. The SunZia route crosses the Brush Corral Road and continues across hills and small washes towards Edgar Canyon, both the Santa Catalinas and Galiuros are visible. A long set of access roads will be cut into these hills to construct and maintain the lines.

A panoramic view from the SunZia route with both the Santa Catalina Mountains (left) and Galiuros (right) in the distance. February 2018.

Empty desert - walking north along the proposed SunZia route to the sourth side of Edgar Canyon. February 2018. — Empty desert – walking north along the proposed SunZia route to the sourth side of Edgar Canyon. February 2018.

Looking north across Edgar Canyon on the proposed SunZia route. February 2018.

Sky above Edgar Canyon along the proposed SunZia transmission line route. January 2018.

The lower section of Edgar Canyon is a surprise, more to explore, and more reason to come back, than I had guessed – like Buehman Canyon there aren’t towers or new access roads in the canyon bottom – ‘just’ a line imprisoning the sky. From the edge of Edgar Canyon the line follows hills and washes to the Davis Mesa Road.

An abandoned tank south of the Brush Corral Road near the proposed SunZia route. January 2018.

Sunzia Route Crossing the Davis Mesa Road with the Galiuros in the background. January 2018.

It is sad to think about the changes coming to this landscape – I read Chris Townsend’s Thoughts on the Conservation and Restoration of Nature in Scotland while working on images for this post and found it encouraging and relevant – I am not familiar with the places and organizations in his post, but I suspect the subject will be immediately familiar regardless of your location:

Whilst the Gleann nam Fiadh track is depressing there is much that is positive in the conservation and restoration of nature in the Scottish hills and elsewhere in Britain. Not enough certainly but looking at what is being done can counter the feelings of despair when more damage occurs. It can also encourage a desire to help protect what is left and restore what we can. Public pressure is what counts here. I doubt many politicians would do much without it (there are a few who would, perhaps). It’s easy to think that one person can’t do anything and that signing petitions, sharing and commenting on posts on social media, and writing to representatives achieves nothing. However any effect from these actions is cumulative. If enough people take part then sometimes a momentum can build towards something happening. The alternative is to give up.

The proposed SunZia route from Buehman to Edgar Canyon - 12 towers (yellow dots), miles or new roads plowing thru the desert (red lines), 4 days of exploring the area (blue lines). March 2018. — The proposed SunZia route from Buehman to Edgar Canyon – 12 towers (yellow dots), miles or new roads plowing thru the desert (red lines), 4 days of exploring the area (blue lines). March 2018.

Some SunZia reading material:

The SunZia site.
The Cascabel Working Group’s SunZia Page has some current status information from the project and a link to a history of the group’s work “Helping the SunZia transmission line project to understand that the environmentally unique San Pedro River Valley is NOT a viable location for a major powerline corridor.”
There are a tremendous number of documents associated with the project and I have certainly not read every page of every document – from the documents I have read my top suggestions are the Dissenting Opinion from Chairman Doug Little in the Arizona Corporation Commission’s Decision on Sunzia (2016) and Peter Else’s Comments on Sunzia from (2010).

Rocks along the SunZia route - beautiful patterns, an ancient map of the landscape. February 2018. — Rocks along the SunZia route – beautiful patterns like an ancient map of the landscape. February 2018.

SunZia – Redington Road North to Buehman Canyon – 12/12/2017

Updated May 26, 2019 - Posted December 18, 2017 - Charles Miles

In the modest distance between Redington Road and Buehman Canyon the SunZia transmission line project will add ten 135 foot tall steel lattice towers, two tension pads and 5 new access roads – only a fraction of the additions the project will make to the San Pedro River Valley. It appears that the only remaining barrier in Arizona to SunZia’s plan is a single lawsuit.

Hiking in the SunZia corridor from Redington Road. December 2017. — Hiking in the SunZia corridor north from Redington Road. December 2017.

The San Pedro River Valley east of the Santa Catalina Mountains is far from pristine wilderness – farms, ranches, homes, utility lines, cattle, a gas pipeline and dirt roads cutting thru the desert… But that list obscures the truth that this area is something special, a part of Arizona that should be preserved as a welcome and important contrast to (and relief from) the dense development on the south and west side of the mountain. Giant steel towers looming over the valley and power lines imprisoning the sky don’t belong here.

Terrain and sky in the SunZia corridor. December 2017.

I walk north and imagine the towers and lines – the subtle rolling hills won’t give them any place to hide, every time I look up I can see where they will create new shapes on skyline blocking the open sky – and every time I look down the variety of rocks and plants is amazing.

In the SunZia corridor near Buehman Canyon. December 2017.

Rocks in the SunZia corridor. December 2017.

Cactus in the SunZia Right of Way. December 2017.

The terrain is steeper near Buehman Canyon and there is still fall color in the bottom of the canyon – beautiful to see this late in the season. The SunZia line will cross high above the canyon.

On a hillside east of the line the sunset comes into view – I wonder if this shot will be interrupted by towers and lines in the future…

Sunset over the Santa Catalina Mountains. December 2017.

Some SunZia reading material:

The SunZia site.
The Cascabel Working Group’s SunZia Page has a long history of the project and the group’s work “Helping the SunZia transmission line project to understand that the environmentally unique San Pedro River Valley is NOT a viable location for a major powerline corridor.”
There are a tremendous number of documents associated with the project and I have certainly not read every page of every document – from the documents I have read my top suggestions are the Dissenting Opinion from Chairman Doug Little in the Arizona Corporation Commission’s Decision on Sunzia (2016) and Peter Else’s Comments on Sunzia from (2010).

A map of the SunZia Line as it leaves Redington Road and proceeds north to Buehman Canyon. December 2017.

Redington Road Pavement – 4/23/2017

Updated May 26, 2019 - Posted April 30, 2017 - Charles Miles

Thru San Manuel, a sharp left then the familiar right turn at the San Pedro – but today the last turn takes me into unfamiliar territory – a strange, freshly paved, night black road parallel to the river – it takes me a minute to reconcile this new thing with my memory of Redington Road.

It makes me sad and uncomfortable to see more pavement encircling the Santa Catalina Mountains – there is nothing encouraging about its current end at the Pinal County line. Maybe the pavement really isn’t that important one way or another – inconsequential compared to the destruction that the SunZia power transmission lines will likely bring to this part of the San Pedro River Valley in the coming years.

Charles Bowden, Frog Mountain Blues, 1987:

The mountain no longer seems like a thing that can stop a city in its tracks; it seems more like a cornered beast. When I hike the Catalinas now and stare down at the valleys, I feel I am on an island, one that is being constantly eroded by the fierce waves of energy sweeping across the desert floor. When I leave the city for the mountain, I walk past bulldozers on my way to the trailhead.

New pavement in the distance at the Pinal County line. April 2017. — Looking back on the pavement starting at the Pinal County line. April 2017.