Rio
I had never heard anything about
the Rio Salado project before starting this class. It has been in
the works for so many years now. Did I just miss it? How many
other people have been missing it for all these years?
The web page for the Rio Salado
project says, “The purpose of the Rio Salado Beyond the Banks
Area Plan is to protect the investment in the Rio Salado Habitat
Restoration Project and to maximize the long- term benefits to the
community while increasing the potential value of the properties
adjacent to the river. Public input is critical to the area planning
process and your participation is encouraged.’
Is the participation of the
community really encouraged? I decided to go around to the
businesses near the south side of the Rio Salado and ask the people
working there about their thoughts on the project.
Of the 12 businesses owners I
talked to: All of them had at least heard of the Rio Salado
project. All of them felt it was a positive move for the
community. 5 of them remembered getting something in the mail about
it “a while back.” Only one business owner actually knew what the
Rio Salado project was for, most thought that they were just
cleaning the riverbed, not changing it in any way. None of them had
ever read the Goals and Objectives. None of them had any idea how
they would go about contacting the people in charge of the Rio
Salado project.
There are many positive aspects of
the Rio Salado project. I believe strongly in the value of habitat
restoration and that naturally beautiful parks and areas will help
encourage growth and prosperity in the area they are found.
 There are however some
problems. Steve Brittle published an article in the “Environmental
Justice Explorer” about the problems of the Rio Salado project. He
lists downsides like the problem of the already present landfills
polluting the aquifer further during the problematic clean-up
process. The problem of increased mosquito populations in wetland
areas (this is a large problem near populated areas due to the
diseases that mosquitoes carry).
Regardless of the
benefits and dangers of the Rio Salado project, the most important
thing is that the people around the project need to be informed of
the good and the bad. All of the business owners stated that they
would like to take a more active role in the Rio Salado project
after I told them about some of the potential benefits and problems
outlined in the above listed resources.
--Christopher Way |
