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SIERRA VISTA -- U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Thursday that preserving Fort Huachuca and the San Pedro River are the most important things facing officials and residents who live in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed.
The senator also said he will not defend the post from possible closure in the upcoming Base Realignment and Closure Round next year solely because it is needed for the area's economy. McCain said that he and people who depend on the fort have to do is tout its existence as critical to the country's national security.
There is no denying the importance of the post to national security, he said.
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When it comes to the San Pedro River, McCain said unless actions are taken immediately the waterway will die.
"It's not a matter of whether it will dry up, it is when will it dry up," McCain said.
The partnership has a vital role to play in ensuring the river and the fort survive, he said.
Local and state governments are going to have to put up more money if they expect him and other members of the Arizona congressional delegation to seek additional federal funds for projects to keep the river alive.
"I can't go (to Congress) and say give me a bunch of money and maybe we'll do something with it," the senator said.
The partnership has to do more projects to affect conservation of water, especially since the organization has to now make a report to Congress through the federal Agriculture and Interior departments to show progress as part of an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act recently signed by the president, McCain said.
The language in the amendment that puts most of the water conservation off the post on to the civilian communities is important to show the local communities can conserve water and find other ways to recharge the aquifer to protect the river's flow, he said.
Judy Gignac, manager of the Bella Vista Water Co. and member of the partnership, said that while it is true there have been many studies done to provide the partnership with information, the results of the studies are being used to find funding for projects that will help the river.
Saying the river has been the most heavily studied watershed in the nation, Gignac added there are a lot of concrete things being done, from small projects such as toilet rebate programs to new wastewater treatment facilities.
McCain said he was glad to hear the partnership is doing concrete things, but warned "they have to be meaningful."
When the discussion turned to seeking support from the Arizona Legislature to allow counties more authority to limit wildcat subdivisions, McCain said he will write a letter to Gov. Janet Napolitano and the leaders of the state's legislative body supporting the idea.
Gignac said property owners and real estate agents do not want counties to have the right to control wildcat subdivisions.
McCain asked Col. Lawrence Portouw how the fort is doing on water conservation.
Portouw, the garrison commander, said the post has reduced its water use by 48 percent in the past 10 years, even though there was a small increase in the number of people assigned to the fort.
However, the amount of water that can be saved through policy changes, such as installing waterless urinals and low-flow shower heads, have about ended, the colonel said.
There are a couple of major projects, such as a new irrigation system at the post's golf course to use even less of the treated effluent than the facility can now so more water can be returned to the aquifer. Another major project is working with Huachuca City to have a line run so the town's sewage will be treated at the fort's wastewater treatment plant and then recharged into the aquifer, Portouw said.
The senator was told that since the San Pedro River is a binational waterway action is being taking to work with Mexico to help with water conservation in that country.
McCain said people worldwide see the river as an important wildlife corridor.
One result of protecting the river is that the fort will benefit and its role as a critical installation for national security will be assured, the senator said. He advised the partnership to become more involved in the state's military task force that is seeking ways to ensure all he military installations in Arizona are protected in the next BRAC round.
Ezai I. Martinez wrote on Jun 24, 2009 7:58 PM: