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TUCSON, Ariz.— Conservation groups filed a lawsuit today challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ approval of a permit that allows a huge master-planned development project near Benson, Ariz., to proceed. The Villages at Vigneto would transform 12,167 acres of largely undeveloped habitat into 28,000 residences, 3 million square feet of commercial space, four golf courses, fountains, lakes, and a resort.

The development would rely solely on groundwater, draining the San Pedro River and harming millions of migratory birds, including threatened and endangered species. Yet, the Corps refused to analyze these staggering impacts, confining its analysis to a small fraction of the development.

Today’s suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson, says the Corps failed to prepare a comprehensive environmental analysis of the entire development in violation of the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The groups are asking the court to invalidate the permit and order the Corps to complete the necessary environmental analysis.

“The San Pedro River is the last remaining intact natural river ecosystem in southern Arizona – an oasis in the desert that supports a rich array of species, including millions of migratory songbirds,” said Peter Else, chair of the Lower San Pedro Watershed Alliance, a landowner-based conservation association. “It is essential that we take every step to preserve this critical resource, protect wildlife habitat and migration corridors, sustainable rural lifestyles, and valuable recreation opportunities....”

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