Variations of auburn and gold engulf the national park that the state of Arizona derives its nickname from. The Grand Canyon is a vast and breathtaking sight for sore eyes that prides itself in being one of the world’s seven wonders. The valley is diverse with glorious native saguaros cactuses, 1,500 species of desert plants, outlandish desert wildlife and glorious Havasupai Falls, a waterfall that plunges from a height of 80 feet, filling the base of the canyon with quenching, turquoise water. The Grand Canyon is a one of a kind artwork painted by Mother Nature herself, alluring spectators and admirers from around the world.
To Scottsdale, Arizona developer, Lamar Whitmer, The Grand Canyon provides a way to make a lot of money, and what better place than a monumental, national park that already attracts business, and is flooding with tourists.
Surely what will not be complimenting to the natural, stunning visions of the Grand Canyon will be Whitmers $1 billion proposed project known as the “Grand Canyon Escalade.” The 1.4-mile Grand Canyon tramway would shuttle up to 10,000 visitors a day to the bottom and top of the Grand Canyon. The development project is expected to feature an elevated walkway and amphitheater below the rim, a hotel, restaurant, RV center, and other resort and tourist attractions above the rim. What is meant to be an authentic outdoor excursion, The lavish project will requiring little to no effort to experience the canyon, taking authenticity of true meaning of getting down and dirty, exploring nature.
Aside from the obvious demolition that tramway construction will do to the fragile 6 million year old canyon, the project will also be built entirely on scared land cherished by Navajo, Hopi, Hualapai, Zuni, and other native people of the Grand Canyon region. Whitmer industriously continues to aim to persuade Navajo Nation Council to approve the master agreement and bill in support of “Grand Canyon Escalade.”
Rising great concern amongst varying Native American tribes, the proposed project has also done the unthinkable, bringing native adversaries together as allies, but also creating a divide between the Navajo. The controversial issue has drawn support within the Navajo Nation, including past Navajo Nation president Ben Shelly who believes that propose project will do more good than harm by creating more jobs and $90 million a year in revenue. However, who is adamantly opposed to the escalade project is the new Navajo Nation President, Russell Begaye, including other Navajos and Native people who stand with his opposition.
Consequently, if the proposed project is passed, what will become immensely susceptible to toxic peril and contamination are the waterways that have been meandering through the Grand Canyon for about 70 million years. The Colorado River and its tributary, the Little Colorado River are both water ways that the entire southwest of the United States completely depend on — the states include Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming and California, which use the river for farming, drinking, growing lawns, and generating hydroelectric power. With both flowing’s at a higher susceptibility to littering and at higher risk of water pollution and toxicity, if the proposed Grand Canyon Escalade Project is passed, additionally the ecological, political and economically standing of southwest states may suffer.
Furthermore, the national park may also become subject to hazardous waste dumping, which are poisonous byproducts of manufacturing, septic systems and other industries expected to be featured along with the proposed Grand Canyon project — RV parks, resorts, hotels and restaurants. Waste will vary as a result of the diverse operations that may be built if the project is implemented. Waste and toxins that could potentially pollute the surrounding area include, chemicals, heavy metals, dangerous pathogens from septic, waste systems and other varying toxins with the diversity of establishments and people from around the world.
What Grand Canyon Escalade developer, Lamar Whitmer may fail to understand is that the proposed projects in which he seeks to implement will not solely damage the environment of the National Park, nor will the project exclusively distress the public within the surrounding areas of the Grand Canyon. The possible implications in which the proposed project can impede are risks in which may unwillingly threaten varying environment and people in the southwest, consequently spreading only to reaching full circle, affecting Whitmer himself.
