Fall07NwsLet

The VRCA River Watch
The Quarterly Newsletter of the
VERDE RIVER CITIZENS ALLIANCE
(928) 634-7445 VRCA@verdenet.com www.verderivervrca.org
Fall 2007

THE VRCA RIVER WATCH
(928)634-7445 WWW.VERDERIVERVRCA.ORG

          Once again Supervisor Chip Davis is leading the way in the campaign to preserve the Verde River and protect the resources of the watershed. Elsewhere in this issue you will find his recent letter to Senator John McCain. In the letter he requests a renewed effort to acquire finding for the Verde River Basin Partnership.
         We have reprinted this letter in full to remind our members of some of the important features of Title II of P.L. 109-110. The most glaring shortcoming was the absence of funding to fulfill the stated mission of the V.R.B.P. once organized.
         Since Senator McCain is one of the most outspoken critics of “earmarks”—funding allocations attached to pieces of unrelated legislation—no money to accomplish the studies proposed by the partnership’s Technical Advisory Committee has been forthcoming.
          It should be remembered that Senator Jon Kyl and Representative Rick Renzi were co-sponsors of P.L. 109-110. We ask all members of VRCA to contact all three members of Congress with requests for federal funding of the Verde River Basin Partnership.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Steve Kling
NEW BLOOD

When the VRCA was undergoing gestation in 200l - long before we had a name, by-laws and a newsletter - I remember being surprised by some of the questions and group exercises that the “facilitator” required of us. One of these was to estimate how many hours a month we would be willing to volunteer to the organization. Another was to estimate how long we envisioned being a member. Having never participated in a civic organization at its inception, I was a little put off by these “nuts & bolts” questions. I was just thinking about the idea: of course the Verde needed protection and “citizen advocates”; obviously we would “stay the course”; we wouldn’t be at the (tedious) organizational meetings if we didn’t have that kind of commitment!
Looking back over the last six years, however, I realize how important it was to answer the practical questions first. Did we have enough “(wo)manpower” to sustain an organization? Was there a “pool” of talent to replace those who inevitably, for various reasons, could no longer make a commitment of time and effort?
Fortunately, to date, new, capable volunteers have stepped forward to replace those who have stepped aside.
One of the most obvious is the “changing of the guard” in editing this newsletter. Linda Nelson & Charlotte Kling have devoted countless hours to creating and developing our quarterly newsletter through 14 issues! Much of the credit for VRCA’s success belongs to them. I have every confidence that the new editors, Michael Durgain and Connie Gilmore, will sustain and enhance the tradition of this publication.
Another member to assume important responsibility in recent months is Lee Andress. She has agreed to serve as Program Chair for the coming year, and has already contributed to developing the fall calendar of events. With the infusion of this kind of new blood the life of VRCA is assured.

Jack Wilson, one of the recipients of a VRCA civic award in 2007 for his work in forming the V.R.B.P., has won the Prescott mayoral primary by a margin of 142 votes. He will be sworn in on November 27th, and preside over his first official meeting as Mayor on December 4th.
Jack has been very active in raising the consciousness of Prescott area residents on issues of water and community development in recent years. We are confident that his election will improve the quality of discussion of Verde River water issues in Yavapai County.

October-2007
20: “A River Reborn—The Restoration of Fossil Creek.” This DVD is a powerful case study in human cooperation and environmental healing narrated by Ted Danson. Jason Williams of the AZ Wilderness Coalition will answer questions and report on legislation designating Fossil Creek “wild and scenic.” Yavapai College, Clarkdale campus. Building M, Room 137, 9:30 to noon.

November-17:
"Conservation easements and purchase of development rights"
Presented by Heather Reading-
Field representative for the Nature Conservancy
Location: Yavapaii public safety building at 199 So. 6th Street
9:30 to noon.

December 15:
VRCA Annual Potluck Brunch, civic awards, and yearly retrospective on Verde River Water Follies (Win Hjalmarson), DHRSP, Greenway Studio, 10 am to noon.

“To live by a large river is to be kept in the heart of things.” John Haines

In the year 2007, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in Yavapai County, and said, "Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save two of every living thing, along with a few good humans."
He gave Noah the blueprints, saying, "You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights." Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard -but no Ark. "Noah!" He roared, "I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?"

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed. I needed a building permit. The County sends me to setbacks and then to permits and then to building codes and then back to setbacks. I've also been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system.

My neighbors claim that I've violated the zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Board of Adjustment for a decision but the Verde Village architectural committee interfered.

Then the Department of Transportation demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark 's move to the sea. This re-opened the discussion about Highway 260 and the County Supervisor for District 3 is now carrying a pistol. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but SRP said we had no right to the water and would hear nothing of it.

Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince both the USFS and the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls - but no go! When I started gathering the animals, an animal rights group sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

Then the EPA and CBD ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood. I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many Mexicans I'm allowed to hire for my building crew. They’re the only people who'll work for the wages I can pay.

Also, the Tri-cities are building a pipeline from the Big Chino to Prescott prevent too much water from flowing into the Verde Valley.

Immigration and Naturalization is checking the green-card status of most of my workers. The County says I can't use my sons and they insist I have to hire only workers with Ark-building experience.

To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.
So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark."

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked, "You mean you're not going to destroy the world?"

"No," said the Lord. "The government regulations beat me to it."

OOPS! CORRECTION TO SUMMER 2007 ISSUE
In reading the summer 2007 edition of your newsletter – there is a short story on the inside back page titled “US Supreme Court Backs Home Builder Against Defenders of Wildlife”. The agency involved in the lawsuit is the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, not the Dept. of Water Resources. The rest of the piece is accurate except where ADWR is mentioned twice.
Linda C. Taunt, Deputy Director
Water Quality Director, ADEQ
Editor’s Note: We thank Ms. Taunt for her careful reading of our publication and for her generous remarks: “…all state agencies appear quite similar don’t they? Good luck – your group does good work.”

_________________________
Verde River Citizens Alliance is a non-profit corporation formed for philanthropic, charitable, educational and scientific purposes, with its main objectives being to assure an adequate flow of water in all sections of the Verde River at all times, and to preserve and restore riparian habitat that borders the Verde River and its tributaries. The corporation is a solution oriented volunteer group which works with like-minded groups.
Monthly meeting: Third Saturday, 10am-noon, refreshments from 9:30-10:00. Call 634-7445 for meeting location.
Officers
President – Steve Kling, 634-7445
Vice President – Bob Rothrock, 634-3633
Secretary – Martin Ball, 639-4378
Treasurer – Chris Hulse, 649-1591
Newsletter
Michael Durgain & Connie Gilmore, 634-7657
Visit our web site:
www.verderivervrca.org

Editor’s Notes
We invite suggestions, articles, and drawings for the newsletter. A big thanks to Steve, Charlotte, and Linda for their kind help in getting this issue together. We pledge to do what we can to keep the river flowing. Email Michael and Connie at mdurgain @yahoo.com. Please tell us what you think.

For questions about the Verde River Citizens Alliance, send mail to vrca@verdenet.com. Copyright © 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Verde River Citizens Alliance. All Rights Reserved.