When Congress gave the University of Arizona a
go-ahead to ignore environmental studies and build its third and
largest telescope on Mount Graham, construction crews jumped into
action (HCN, 5/13/96). Now, an obscure federal advisory group says
builders moved too quickly and possibly illegally.
According to the President’s Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation, the Forest Service was required to consider
the cultural significance of the site before the building began. An
Apache tribe considers Mount Graham sacred and the advisory council
says the site may qualify for the National Register of Historic
Places.
University of Arizona Vice President
Michael Cusanovich scoffs at the threat: “The telescope is under
construction. If they employ this strategy at this late date it
would not in any way affect us.”
Coronado Forest
Supervisor John McGee would not comment on the allegations: “I
can’t keep track of all these damn lawsuits.”
*Heather Abel
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Tribal group tries again to save mountain.
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