Construction on new climbing lane along SR 95 north of Lake Havasu City is underway

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation has begun construction of a northbound climbing lane on State Route 95 to improve traffic flow through the Mohave Mountains region, approximately 10 miles north of Lake Havasu City (mileposts 190-195).

Construction crews are scheduled to begin roadway blasting activities Monday Feb. 9 through early March. Project work hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

ADOT advises motorists to plan ahead for delays up to 20 minutes in both north- and southbound lanes, slow down and be aware of construction workers and equipment. Flaggers will be stopping and directing traffic during this work.

Crews recently began off-roadway clearing and excavating activities on the $5.1 million project. The improvement work includes constructing the passing lane, widening the shoulders and repaving the entire roadway within the project limits. Construction is expected to be completed this summer.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule. To stay up-to-date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at www.az511.gov or call 511.

Overnight work scheduled tonight on SR 89 between Prescott and Chino Valley

Crews are relocating temporary concrete barrier on State Route 89 between Prescott and Chino Valley tonight between 8 p.m. and midnight. Work is scheduled tonight on SR 89 not SR 89A as previously mentioned.

Delays of up to 10 minutes are possible.

Law enforcement personnel will be present and drivers are encouraged to adhere to the reduced speed limit and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage.

Utility work scheduled on SR 89A at Willard Street in Cottonwood

Utility work is scheduled on State Route 89A in Cottonwood at Willard Street on Sunday, Feb. 8 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Northbound SR 89A between Willard Street and Calvary Way (mileposts 351 to 352) will be narrowed to one lane to provide a safe work zone for utility crews. Minimal delays expected during work hours.

The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage.

Williams City Council votes to donate to the Senior Graduation party

WILLIAMS – At the Williams City Council meeting on January 22, the Williams City Council voted to donate $1500 to the Senior Graduation Night party to be held at the Williams Recreation Center. A presentation was made by Senior Miranda Velasco in which she reminded the council of the death of five graduates due to alcohol in 2007. Since then the organization Parents Who Care started the alternate party to keep graduating seniors safe.

The council then voted unanimously to build a new substation with APS.

Mayor John Moore gave a report on the new lights being installed in the city. So far 50 have been installed on east Route 66. The plan is to install them on west Route 66 and Grand Canyon Boulevard.

ADEQ Officials Announce Conditional State Water Quality Certification Issued to Rosemont Copper for Proposed Mine

ADEQ-2PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials announced today that a conditional state water quality certification has been issued to Rosemont Copper Company for activities proposed under a Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit for the Rosemont Copper Project southeast of Tucson.

The proposed activities under the 404 permit include the discharge of earthen fill material into Barrel Canyon and tributaries including Wasp, McCleary and Trail canyons and other unnamed washes, during construction and operation of the proposed mine. The Certification and other supporting materials can be found at: http://azdeq.gov/environ/water/permits/index.html

Rosemont applied to ADEQ for the certification in January 2012 but the agency’s review was suspended until the U.S. Forest Service completed its environmental impact statement (EIS) work on the project in December 2013. ADEQ’s conditional certification is based on fill activities described in the Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice issued in December 2011 with some minor changes in the final EIS. Most of the discharges will result from the development of the mine pit and construction of the waste rock storage areas, dry stack tailings facility and mining facilities.

ADEQ issued a draft certification on Feb. 21, 2014 and accepted comments through April 7, 2014. In response to public comment, ADEQ required Rosemont to prepare a Surface Water Mitigation Plan detailing all required monitoring, develop a surface water model to predict changes in surface water runoff and sediment because of the project, and to identify measures that Rosemont will implement should these potential changes have the possibility to impact downstream water quality.

ADEQ finds, subject to conditions in the certification, including implementation of the Surface Water Mitigation Plan, the activities proposed will not violate applicable surface water quality standards in the receiving waterbodies including McCleary, Wasp, Trail, Barrel and Davidson canyons and Cienega Creek. Should the Army Corps issue the CWA 404 Permit for the project, the state certification becomes a condition of the 404 Permit and is enforceable by the Corps.

“We share the public’s concern about impacts to water resources and have worked diligently to insure that this certification meets all environmental protection requirements,” said ADEQ Director Henry Darwin. “The Surface Water Mitigation Plan will provide ADEQ and the Forest Service with ongoing data and provides for mitigation measures, should they be needed, to ensure protection of Davidson Canyon and Cienega Creek, both Outstanding Arizona Waters.”

For the mining operation to begin, Rosemont still needs the Forest Service to issue a final record of decision and approve the mining plan of operation in addition to the Army Corps 404 permit. ADEQ issued an individual Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) to Rosemont in April 2012. But if the record of decision changes the project design, an amendment to the APP may be required.

ADEQ: Stormwater Permitting Program

ADEQ-2The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is proposing to re-issue the Arizona Department of Transportation, Phase I Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit, pursuant to Arizona Administrative Code, Title 18, Article 9 (Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System).

The formal Public Notice was published in the Arizona Business Gazette on Thursday, January 29, 2015. The deadline for submitting comments on the draft permit is Thursday, March 12, 2015. Comments must be submitted to the following address:

Electronically: henninger.christopher@azdeq.gov

or

Hardcopy to:

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
1110 West Washington Street, Mailcode 5415A-1
Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Subsequent to the close of the public comment period, ADEQ will prepare a written response to significant comments and issue the final permit.

Questions regarding the draft permit or Arizona’s stormwater program can be directed to:

Christopher Henninger, CMS4S
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Direct: 602.771.4508

Grand Canyon National Park Opens 2016 Noncommercial River Trip Permit Lottery

lellouch_3767GRAND CANYON – Grand Canyon National Park will open the permit lottery for 2016 Noncommerical River Trip launch dates. Applications will be accepted online through noon Mountain Standard Time on February 24, 2015. A nonrefundable fee of $25 is required to enter the permit lottery. A total of 472 permits will be available for 12- to 25-day river trips launching on specific dates in 2016. Eligible individuals may apply online at the lottery web site located at http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/whitewater-rafting.htm.

The Noncommercial River Trip lottery is held in February to assign launch dates for river trips occurring the following calendar year. Due to the high demand for Noncommerical River Trip permits in Grand Canyon the lottery is weighted in favor of individuals who have not been on a trip in recent years. Public notifications regarding main lotteries are made by both email and news release. In addition to the annual main lottery, follow-up lotteries are held as needed throughout the remainder of the year to reassign canceled and/or left-over river trips. Public notifications for these follow-up lotteries are made through email, an RSS feed, and Twitter (twitter.com/GCRiverPermits).

The Noncommercial River Trip lottery web site can be accessed year-round to create or modify an account and to sign-up to receive email notifications. Individuals who are interested in a future Noncommercial River Trip permits are strongly encouraged to create an account. Lottery applications are accepted through the Noncommercial River Trip lottery web site only when lotteries are open.

Individuals must be 18 years or older to apply for a river trip permit. Noncommercial river trips must be self-guided, and technical whitewater experience is mandatory on each trip. Individuals may participate on a maximum of one recreational river trip per calendar year (commercial or noncommercial).

Individuals interested in professionally-guided river trips should not apply through the lottery, but instead request space on a commercial trip. A list of commercial companies offering guided trips can be found by visiting www.nps.gov/grca, selecting “River Trips/Permits”, then “3 to 18 Day Commercial Trips”.

For more information about the 2016 weighted lottery, please visit the Grand Canyon National Park web site at http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/whitewater-rafting.htm, contact the River Permits Office at 1-800-959-9164 or 928-638-7884, or email us at grca_riv@nps.gov

 

 

Missing Man at South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

sm-02-03-15-KramerGRAND CANYON – On Monday, February 2, 2015 the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a phone call reporting a missing individual last known to be at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

Drake L. Kramer of San Antonio, Texas was reported missing by a family member. Kramer was a guest at Bright Angel Lodge on the evening of Saturday, January 31 and checked out on Sunday, February 1. Kramer is described as 21 years old, 5’7, 140 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

The National Park Service is currently conducting a Search and Rescue operation. A missing persons investigation is on-going. No further information is available at this time.Any individual with information on the location of Drake Kramer should contact the National Park Service Silent Witness Line at 928-638-7840.

Utility work on State Route 89 in Chino Valley continues for the next two weeks

800-150128-046Southbound State Route 89 in Chino Valley will continue to be narrowed to one lane between Perkinsville Road and Road 3 North for utility work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, February 2 through Friday, February 20.

ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.