The Tortolita Alliance (TA) is collaborating with the Coalition For Sonoran Desert Protection (CSDP) and other environmental groups in the Tucson Region to oppose the proposed Interstate Eleven (I-11) West Option in Pima County.
I-11 is a proposed interstate highway that will extend from Nogales to Wickenburg in Arizona. It is part of a grand program to provide a high-capacity north-south interstate highway from Canada to Mexico.
The map above is taken from the project's draft Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The West Option runs through Avra Valley (and right next to Saguaro National Park, Ironwood Forest National Monument, and Tohono O'odham tribal lands) and an East Option that co-locates I-11 with I-19 and I-10 through the Tucson region.
The West Option is unacceptable for obvious reasons and we need your help.
CSDP is taking the lead on this and the following message is taken directly from CSDP's informational email to its member groups. It has background information, links to documents, suggested comment letters and more.
TA will be commenting on behalf of its members but we urge you as an individual to engage.
Message From CSDP Regarding I-11
We are asking our supporters to take TWO actions right now and we ask you to do the same (along with getting the word out to your supporters).
Request an extension of the public comment deadline from 30 days to 120 days. The current deadline is August 16, 2021. We need more time! You can read the comment letter we submitted with this request HERE. Feel free to use any of the language in this letter and/or personalize with your own words relevant to your unique mission.
Submit a comment stating your opposition to the West Preferred Alternative Option (can be done concurrently or separately from Action #1)
You can submit your comments on-line by clicking on the button below:
The overarching message we encourage in your comments is that ADOT/FHWA should ABANDON the West Preferred Alternative Option in Avra Valley. We are currently working on our comments and will be sending out more details soon.
We have updated our I-11 webpage on our website. It can be found here: https://www.sonorandesert.org/learning-more/interstate-11/
You can also link to our webpages with Background & History of I-11, Media & Letters to the Editor, and past information and comment letters on the 2019 I-11 DEIS.
We will putting up social media posts ASAP so also feel free to share those on your channels or post your own!
The main I-11 FEIS website is at: http://origin.i11study.com/Arizona/ A traditional PDF version of the FEIS (split into multiple documents) can be found at: http://origin.i11study.com/Arizona/Documents.asp
An interactive version of the FEIS can be accessed at: https://i11.ee.alytics.com/I11Arizona-Tier1EIS/