The View ... a different one

Today's lead story in the Durango Herald is about national EPA efforts to refigure air quality standards in a way that would reduce visibility at Mesa Verde National Park, as well as at other Class 1 parks in the SW, such as Zion. An interesting feature of the story is the fact that the regional EPA offices affected by this change are OPPOSING it.

The local application of the change would have the effect, according to critics, of making it easier for the controversial Desert Rock coal-fired power plant to be built near Shiprock, NM. 

I wonder if it's not too late already for the Four Corners. We've covered a lot of miles across the west in the last 8-9 months, and the Four Corners has the worst air we've seen. There is almost NEVER a clear day in this area any more ... a day when the Sleeping Ute, Mesa Verde or the La Platas are not partially obscured by haze. When I'm with tour groups in Mesa Verde, they can see Shiprock off the end of the mesa less than half the time. A clear view across the Mancos Valley to the La Platas is exceptional! Forget about getting a crystal clear shot of the peaks when you're up in the mountains.

There are the health aspects, of course, which got front page coverage in the Cortez Journal recently, but there is also the tourism impact. Who wants to come to this land of stark contrasts in high dry air and and see it obscured by pollution? 

The view from the campfire circle on Chapin Mesa 42 years ago, as I was doing campfire talks in Mesa Verde, was enchanting. Now? It's cruddy!!!!! tv