Protect the San Pedro Riparian Corridor
By Dr. Janis Bell; Featured Photo by Gilbert Urias
Nestled on a high plain between three mountain ranges, the picturesque town of Benson, Arizona, draws families from Tucson and Phoenix who want to raise their children in a safe environment with clean air and water. Seven RV parks host the “snowbirds” who come for the scenery, sunshine, birdwatching, and hiking. The San Pedro River is east of Benson and one of Arizona’s last flowing rivers. Its importance was recognized by Congress in 1988 when they designated the San Pedro National Riparian Conservation Area. Now the children and families of Benson are threatened by the conditional approval of a large industrial plant. Behind closed doors, without notifying residents, Planning & Zoning (P&Z) approval was granted to Aluminum Dynamics, LLC, a subsidiary of Steel Dynamics, to build a sprawling secondary recycling smelter on the flood plain of the fragile river. We must stop the Benson aluminum plant now!
Toxic Air
Aluminum Dynamics estimates they will pollute the air with over 52 tons of PM2.5 per year, 92 tons of hydrogen chloride gas, 93 tons of nitrogen oxides, 93 tons of volatile organic compounds, and over 86,000 tons of greenhouse gases – levels sufficient to harm healthy children and further injure those with asthma and chronic illness. The EPA required ADI to file a Class I permit with ADEQ “because emissions calculations estimate that the facility has the potential to emit hydrogen chloride, a regulated hazardous air pollutant, in excess of the major source threshold.”[1] According to the CDC, the OSHA limit is 5 ppm, and it causes eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, with children being more vulnerable due to their short stature. [2] Rain removes it from the air but acidifies the water.
PM2.5 is very fine particulate matter that is respirable. When you breathe, it can penetrate deep into your respiratory track, into your lungs and possibly into your bloodstream[3].
Benson is a haven for adults injured by mold, pesticides, and household chemicals, who came here from states as far away as Maine and Alaska to work with Michael Gray, MD, now retired. Dr. Gray is one of a handful of physicians treating the environmentally injured. I spoke with Kristina T, who found Dr. Gray when she was bedbound in 2007, stayed in the area for 9 years with her daughter, and now lives year-round in her beloved, wild Alaska. Jennifer P moved her family from the East coast to work with Dr. Gray and benefit from the dry Arizona climate.
Beyond the impact on those who already suffer from environmental illnesses, we anticipate widespread distribution of these toxic contaminants over a wide range, carried by winds and storms. The dust may settle on farm and ranch land, where it may contaminate livestock and our food supply.
Water Shortage
Our dry climate brings another serious risk: Water. Benson relies on an aquifer that is rapidly dwindling due to over-pumping. Has the city promised water they cannot deliver? The town already promised scarce water to The Villages at Vigneto, a housing development. A recent lawsuit alleges that pumping for Vigneto and the aluminum plant will divert water from protected riparian areas. People who live along the river, like Donna Q and David P, are fighting in court for their rights to use the water in their shallow wells, despite the water being “legally” allocated for the San Pedro and the native American lands down river. If residents don’t have rights to their well water, why would a commercial entity like Aluminum Dynamics be allowed to consume vast quantities of city water for their venture?
In addition to the shortage of water, the community is at risk of further pollution during monsoon floods. Runoff may further pollute the river and contaminate groundwater over a large area, potentially affecting the private wells of the surrounding communities of Pomerene, Cascabel, J6, and Mescal.
Take Action!
Please help protect this vital resource and attraction in Cochise County.
Spread the word about our informative websites:
If you have experience with activism and legal challenges, please contact us and offer your insights at our Facebook groups:
Resources
- Vigneto: Yes or No? This film explores the impact of the Villages at Vigneto project.
- Lawsuit Challenges Water Allocation
[1] https://azdeq.gov/aqd/AluminumDynamics
[2] https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=758&toxid=147 and https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tfacts173.pdf
[3] https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/particulate-matter-pm-basics
Janis Bell, Ph.D. is an art historian and resident of Benson. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Children’s Health Defense, Arizona Chapter.