Land near Tumamoc Hill might be bladed

A federal electric power agency plans to start clearing vegetation and re-grading an old maintenance road next to Tumamoc Hill as early as Monday, despite objection from Pima County officials.

County taxpayers bought part of the land in 2009 for conservation, largely because Tumamoc is the longtime site of environmental research and was considered an endangered historic place.

The new conflict between the county and the Western Area Power Administration stems from a one-mile stretch of road that cuts through the county-owned land west of Tumamoc Hill, just west of downtown Tucson.

The dirt road was originally cleared in 1950 for construction of a power line, but trees and other foliage have reclaimed the path.

We believe reconstruction of the access road at this time is unnecessary and will certainly be destructive of natural, cultural and historic resources on Tumamoc Hill, County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry wrote in a memo late Friday.

County documents suggest the right of way for the power agency was set more than 60 years ago.

The improvements near Tumamoc Hill are part of a larger project to replace 149 sets of power poles along an 80-mile transmission line that runs from Tucson to Cochise. Passable access roads are the first step before any maintenance on the poles begins.

But the county argues that another pending, larger power project called the Southline Transmission line, if approved, could render the Tumamoc road irrelevant.

Its a lot of work and theres not a guarantee if they abandon the line that they would restore the area, said Linda Mayro, director of the Pima County Office of Sustainability and Conservation.

Tumamoc, a popular hiking spot, is intended to be a wild place almost in the center of downtown, Mayro said. Wed like to see it continue.

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Land near Tumamoc Hill might be bladed