Monthly Archives: March 2016

County Presents New SAR All-Terrain Transport Vehicle / Snowcat

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P800FLAGSTAFF — Yesterday the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office recognized the community service of Search and Rescue (SAR) during the presentation of a new snowcat, all-terrain transport vehicle for the Sheriff’s Office.

The new snowcat will provide Sheriff’s Office SAR with a reliable vehicle to respond to a variety of snow and all-terrain emergencies. It is a multi-functional all-terrain vehicle that can be used on mud, snow or ice. The new PistenBully Scout from Kassbohrer All-Terrain Vehicles, Inc. was purchased for $180,150. The current snowcat is a 1984 DeLorean Snowcat which is over 30 years old and has reached the limits of its serviceability, often being out of service because parts are unavailable.

“It was in the best interest of public safety, health, and welfare to obtain a new snowcat to address potential snow and mud related emergencies. The time to act is before the storm, and we feel this piece of equipment is a substantial asset to responding to these kinds of events throughout Northern Arizona,” said Sheriff Bill Pribil. “We greatly appreciate the generosity of the County Manager’s Office and Board of Supervisors in supporting the funding of this important piece of public safety equipment.”

Coconino County Public Works Fleet Management also assisted by researching equipment on the market and identifying a replacement snowcat that would best serve community given the weather and terrain conditions in Coconino County.

“This was an excellent example of county departments collaborating to find the best solution for the public safety needs of our community,” Pribil said.

The PistenBully Scout is powered by a John Deere diesel engine meeting the most current Tier 4 emission standards established by the EPA, which means less noise and less fuel consumption. While most machines are single-seated ski resort groomers and some are multi-passenger machines, the Scout has seating for an operator, front seat passenger, and 8-12 passengers. It also can be configured to carry approximately 9 passengers and a litter carrier for injured persons.

Delays expected at Queen Creek Tunnel on US 60 March 9 and 10

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The Arizona Department of Transportation will be setting up concrete barriers in Queen Creek Tunnel on US 60 at milepost 228 starting Wednesday night, March 9, in preparation for the installation of new lighting in the tunnel.

The speed limit will be reduced, barricades and concrete barrier wall will be installed and lanes will be narrowed. Officers will be present during these restrictions to strictly enforce all traffic laws. Due to the limited work area within the tunnel it is imperative all motorists obey the traffic control changes for the workers’ safety.

Work is scheduled from 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 9 to 4 a.m. Thursday, March 10.

Drivers are asked to use caution, expect lane closures, watch for construction equipment and personnel, and allow extra time for your commute.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur.

For more information about this project, please call Julian Avila at 602 320-7263, or email javila@azdot.gov

Reward offered for information on several elk poached in Pine

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azgf_logo2PINE, Ariz. — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a $2,000 reward for information on elk that were poached near a residential community in Pine, about 15 miles northwest of Payson.

Reports to the Department’s Operation Game Thief Hotline over the past two months led wildlife managers to several elk that were shot in separate instances in the vicinity of Pine Canyon. The meat was left to waste. Not only were the animals were killed outside of the legal season, it is illegal and unethical to waste game meat in Arizona. Because the carcasses were found near residences, it is possible that someone saw the suspect leaving the area.

“Poachers are not hunters; they are criminals who steal from Arizonans and waste our state’s valuable natural resources. We would like to find those responsible and are looking for the public’s help. Whether you witnessed suspicious activity or noticed a post on social media that may help us solve this senseless crime, please report it,” said Amy Burnett, AZGFD spokesperson.

If you have any information or knowledge of this incident, please contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Operation Game Thief hotline and refer to Case # 16-000542 at 1-800-352-0700 or on the web at www.azgfd.gov/ogt.shtml. For this case, callers may be eligible for a reward up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest. Callers can remain confidential upon request. Money for rewards comes from criminal poaching fines, civil restitution by violators who commit wildlife crimes, and donations.

Volunteers needed for Table Mesa Recreation Area cleanup

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Tread_Lightly__-_Image_1PHOENIX — “Tread Lightly!,” which promotes responsible recreation through stewardship, communication and education, has scheduled a cleanup Sunday at the popular Table Mesa Recreation Area north of Phoenix.

Partner organizations include the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Volunteers – including recreational shooters, off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, hikers and others who champion responsible recreation – are needed for the four-hour event, which begins at 8 a.m. Volunteers are encouraged to bring water, work gloves, hat, sunscreen, trash pinchers and buckets. Long pants and sturdy shoes are recommended.

Sign up at https://treadlightly.wufoo.com/forms/z1sc8qkl0o4q2oj/. For more information, contact Dianne Olson at (800) 966-9900, Ext. 13, or e-mail: Dianne@treadlightly.org.

Table Mesa Recreation Area is located at Interstate 17 and Table Mesa Road. Proceed west on Table Mesa Road, then north on the frontage road. Follow signs posted at the end of the pavement. Volunteers will be on-site to provide more information and directions. To view a map, visit http://tinyurl.com/jyj6kby.

Specialty plates raise millions supporting Arizona charities

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300_118762_USMC platePHOENIX — With only a few exceptions, specialty license plates offered by the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division do more than just allow drivers to show support for causes and express their individuality. They raise money – and a lot of it – for charities and nonprofit groups.

In 2015, the 389,536 specialty plates on Arizona vehicles raised more than $6.5 million.

“We’re pleased to be a facilitator for people to give to their favorite charity,” Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said. “The specialty license plate program is a great way to personalize your vehicle and support great causes.”

Drivers pay $25 a year for specialty plates. Of that amount, $17 goes to a designated charity or nonprofit group.

The top specialty plate for 2015 features the Arizona Cardinals, raising $1,087,677 for Cardinals Charities and its many beneficiaries. Next were two plates benefiting the Arizona Veterans’ Donation Fund that supports veterans and their families: Veterans, raising $1,051,093, and Freedom/Military Support, raising $521,424.

“Seeing so many vehicles on the road displaying their Cardinals plates is fantastic, and the display of support is incredibly gratifying,” Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said. “But even more meaningful is knowing the type of impact that the project is having on Cardinals Charities and, in turn, so many worthy causes throughout the state.”

There are 60 specialty license plates available in Arizona. Among the few plates that aren’t connected to a charity or nonprofit group are those for historic and classic vehicles, as well as plates that support a public service like amateur radio operators.

Specialty license plates are created by state law. In 2015, laws led to specialty plates featuring the Arizona Coyotes, U.S. Marine Corps, Midwestern University and Firefighter Safety Training.

Once a plate becomes law, the nonprofit organization benefiting from it must pay $32,000 to cover MVD’s programming and production costs and work with MVD to design the plate. Upon approval by the organization, ADOT and law enforcement, the plate goes into production for vehicle owners to purchase.

March comes in with a whimper

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Sno160307-01WILLIAMS — Half-frozen puddles, a couple of chunks of ice and a dusting of snow is the remnant of the storm last night. There is a chance of snow overnight and rain on Tuesday clearing the rest of the week. The snow so far this winter could be a danger sign for a poor summer ahead.
Sno160307-03
Today there is a slight chance of snow raising to 30% before midnight clearing after that. Winds of 9- to 17-mph are predicted today through Tuesday with gusts of 25-mph possible. A 20% chance of showers exists Tuesday afternoon clearing to sunny skies on Wednesday. The rest of the week sunny skies are predicted with temperatures starting out in the low 60s and dropping to the mid 50s through Sunday. Overnight lows will be just below freezing.

Northern Arizona traditionally gets much of its snow in March and April even getting snow into May a few years. It is impossible to predict just how winter will turn out and the result on water levels and tourist activities over the summer.

Nightime restrictions on Milton Road (SR 89A) for overhead sign work next week

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FLAGSTAFF — The Arizona Department of Transportation crews will continue installation work on new overhead electronic message signs on Milton Road (SR 89A), between University Drive and Forest Meadows and on I-40 Westbound at MP 197 near Butler Avenue in Flagstaff.

Tuesday through Wednesday, southbound travel on Milton (SR 89A) (between University Dr and Forest Meadows) will be restricted to one lane to accommodate crews working on the west side of the roadway. Work will take place during evening hours from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Thursday (March 10), travel on I-40 Westbound (near Butler Avenue) will have short temporary closures to accommodate installation of the overhead message sign; work will take place from 10 p.m. to 4. a.m.

Please observe reduced speeds and exercise caution while traveling through the work zone.

Electronic message signs span the width of the freeway and are used by ADOT to help keep drivers informed of traffic, road and weather conditions.

Reminder: Wildlife assets to be sold at AZGFD’s Outdoor Expo

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Assets_-_2PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s annual sale of wildlife assets will take place April 2-3 at the 2016 Outdoor Expo at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, a change in venue from the International Sportsmen’s Expo (ISE) set for March 10-13 at WestWorld of Scottsdale.  

The Wildlife Assets Program enables the public to legally purchase antlers, head mounts, hides and other wildlife parts that have been seized during law enforcement investigations, obtained from animals killed in vehicle collisions or acquired through donations.

All assets will be sold through a silent auction. Proceeds will be used to support the department’s law enforcement program through the purchase of equipment (evidence collection kits, digital cameras, audio recorders, metal detectors, decoys and night vision equipment) and specialized training (interview and interrogation classes, wildlife forensic classes, crime scene investigation training) that assist officers in more effectively performing their duties.  

For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/assets, or call (623) 236-7303.

ADOT launches Interstate 11 environmental study from Nogales to Wickenburg

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imagesPHOENIX — The next phase of defining an Interstate 11 corridor through Arizona offers the public a chance to help shape the vision for a route intended to enhance trade and boost Arizona’s economy.

In partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and regional planning agencies, the Arizona Department of Transportation has launched a three-year environmental study to select an I-11 corridor alternative between Nogales and Wickenburg.

Extending from Nogales through the Las Vegas area to northern Nevada – and possibly north toward Canada ­– Interstate 11 would support large-scale manufacturing, enhance movement of people and freight by vehicle and potentially rail, and be a corridor for trade, communications and technology.

A three-year environmental study will consider possible routes between Nogales and Wickenburg. The first step is developing an Alternatives Selection Report assessing a wide range of corridor alternatives and options, along with opportunities and constraints. A Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement will evaluate in greater detail a smaller number of corridor alternatives, including segments that may advance as independent projects. There will be a no-build alterative as well.

Input from the public, communities and other stakeholders will contribute to these two reports, as well as a Final Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement that will list a selected corridor alternative.

“The Arizona Department of Transportation and our partner agencies and stakeholders have long recognized the importance of the Interstate 11 corridor and the benefits that it will bring to our state through trade, commerce, job growth and economic vitality,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “This congressionally designated high-priority corridor offers the opportunity for Arizona to stay competitive, create regional and global connections, and provide a direct link to success in the global marketplace.”

In November 2014, the Arizona and Nevada departments of transportation completed a two-year feasibility study as the first step in the Interstate 11 process. ADOT focused on and supported a route through Arizona connecting Nogales and the Hoover Dam bypass bridge near Las Vegas.

In December 2015, Congress approved the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, five-year legislation to improve the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure. While the FAST Act formally designates Interstate 11 from north to south in Arizona, it does not include funding. It does, however, make the corridor eligible for federal funding in the future.

The recommended I-11 corridor would likely follow US 93 from the Hoover Dam bypass bridge south to Wickenburg. The 280-mile corridor study area for the current environmental study begins in Wickenburg and runs west of the Phoenix metropolitan area and then south to the Tucson area and then Nogales.

During the next three years, the public, communities and other stakeholders will have opportunities to comment through regular meetings, community events and other forums. Right now, comments can be sent to:

Email: I-11ADOTStudy@hdrinc.com
Toll-free bilingual telephone hotline: 1-844-544-8049
Mail:

Interstate 11 Tier 1 EIS Study Team
c/o ADOT Communications
1655 W. Jackson St., Mail Drop 126F
Phoenix, AZ 85007

For more information about the I-11 study, visit i11study.com/Arizona

Kaibab National Forest returns easement application to Town of Tusayan

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest notified the Town of Tusayan today that its application for road and utility easements on National Forest System land is being returned and will not receive further evaluation and processing.

According to a letter to Tusayan Mayor Craig Sanderson signed by Kaibab Forest Supervisor Heather Provencio, the proposed project does not meet agency requirements for initial and second level screenings and, therefore, is being returned to the town, as the Forest Service may not process such an application for authorization.

The Kaibab National Forest has been working to address the Town of Tusayan’s application for authorization to improve and maintain roads on National Forest System land and to install various utilities. The roads and associated infrastructure would provide improved access to the Kotzin and Ten-X ranch properties, and would allow significant residential and commercial development. The first step in that process was to notify potentially affected federal, state, and local government agencies and the public of the proposal and provide them an opportunity to comment.

During this initial scoping process, the Forest Service received 2,447 unique comment letters, 85,693 form letters, 86 comments connected to a blog, and two petitions with 105,698 signatures. After the close of the initial formal scoping period, the Forest Service received in excess of 35,000 additional comment letters. The vast majority of the commenters opposed the Forest Service authorizing the proposed roads and infrastructure.

“Based on the comments received, and considering the other information I have regarding the proposed project, I have decided to reconsider application of the screening criteria to the proposal,” Provencio wrote in the letter to the mayor.

Provencio goes on to cite specific agency requirements that the town’s application fails to meet under both initial- and second-level screening criteria including consistency with the Kaibab Forest Plan, the necessity that the proposed use not create an exclusive or perpetual right of use or occupancy, the requirement that the proposed use must not unreasonably interfere with the use of adjacent non-National Forest System lands, and the provision that a proposal must be rejected if the proposed use would not be in the public interest.

“Based on information received in the record, I have determined that the Tusayan proposal is deeply controversial, is opposed by local and national communities, would stress local and Park [Grand Canyon National Park] infrastructure, and have untold impacts to the surrounding Tribal and National Park lands,” Provencio wrote.

The letter closes by advising that if another application were to be submitted, it should address the specific concerns and criteria outlined.