On Tuesday, December 12th, Representative Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) is
expected to offer an amendment to the Interior appropriations
conference which would hasten the construction of a third telescope
on Mt. Graham by waiving certain environmental laws.
Mt Graham (dzil nchaa si an) is located in Arizona and is home to
sites considered sacred by the San Carlos Apache Tribe. It is also
home to the red squirrel, a federally-protected endangered species.
In 1987 special legislation allowed The University of Arizona to
construct two telescopes on Mt. Graham without having to conduct
environmental and cultural studies. The proposed third scope,
which would be larger than the other two, is sited outside of the
exempted area. Therefore, as affirmed by a recent Ninth Circuit
Court of Appeals decision, the University is required to do the
environmental and cultural studies before constructing the third
telescope. Kolbe's amendment would allow the University to build
without first conducting these studies.
ACTION
Please contact Ralph Regula--chairman of the Interior subcommittee
on Appropriations, and Robert Livingston--chairman of the
Appropriations committee, and your representative asking them to
oppose this legislation.
Ralph Regula Robert Livingston
Phone: (202) 225-3876 Phone: (202) 225-3015
Fax: (202) 225-3059 Fax: (202) 225-0739
To find the phone, and if applicable, fax number of your
Representative call (202) 224-3121.