By Mike Scerbo

Italian Developer Stilo had hoped for another year from the  Arizona Corporation Commission  to come up with a water plan to feed its proposed development at the doorstep of the Grand Canyon. They got six months (See related article). The plan calls for three million square feet of commercial space and thousands of new homes.  The size and scope will require more water than existing suppliers can handle.

As a result, Stilo is trying to form its own water company and it has to show the Arizona Corporation Commission it can address the supply.  In December 2011 Stilo filed for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity but the Italian developer has yet to show adequate water supply.  

They have filed repeated requests for extensions.  And on November 2^nd they filed for a one year extension. Stilo blames a number of factors citing issues with the Grand Canyon Airport and the US Forest Service.  The overriding issue is they still have not identified a water supply.

That’s why the Sierra Club has written a letter to the Corporation Commission opposing the Stilo plan which could dry up springs in the Grand Canyon and on Havasupai Tribal lands.

The letter states in part

Ten months have passed since the initial application for this CC&N was filed, and Tusayan Ventures has not yet revealed how it will supply water to new residents and visitors, nor has it demonstrated a reliable emergency water supply or adequate wastewater facilities. In its most recent application for an extension of time, responding to the January 26,2012 Insufficiency Letter, Tusayan Ventures indicated that it would be better able to supply required information to the Arizona Corporation Commission once it begins the Environmental Assessment process with the United States Forest Service (USFS). Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the USFS will be required to examine the cumulative impacts of the proposed new infrastructure on the Kaibab National Forest. It cannot do that without knowing where Tusayan Ventures will derive its water, how much it plans to use, the amount of wastewater it will produce, and how it plans to handle wastewater.

Here is a link to the entire letter.

Meanwhile Stilo also faces opposition from the Superintendent of the Grand Canyon National Park and the Havasupai Tribal Council.

The Tusayan Sanitary District, which has not voiced opposition, has expressed concern because Stilo doesn’t have a wastewater plan.

Stilo recently missed another deadline related to the development agreement requirement to finalize all necessary infrastructure applications by the beginning of November.

 The Town would be within its rights to penalize Stilo. Time will tell if that happens.