When thinking about the opposition to the sewer plant upgrade at Santa Rita Park by people that have not been involved in the remarkably complex and thoroughly detailed analysis of the city of Durango’s options, I am reminded of Benghazi Committee Chair, Rep. Trey Gowdy’s comments to his GOP colleagues: “Shut up talking about things that you don’t know anything about. And unless you’re on the committee, you have no idea what we’ve done, why we’ve done it and what new facts we have found.”
The letter to the editor from John Ballew, chair of the city’s Utilities Commission (Herald, Oct. 20), is more diplomatic and to the point. An upgrade at Santa Rita Park is the most environmentally, economically and socially acceptable action. As Ballew stated, the land is already disturbed and current equipment can be re-used. Any environmentalist knows that re-use is an important tenet and any new site would disturb currently undeveloped land. A new site also does not avoid some of the infrastructure of the current plant being left at Santa Rita.
When I first started learning about this issue, I was opposed to keeping it at Santa Rita Park for the same reasons the opposition is opposed to it. Who wants a sewer plant adjacent to our river park? Slowly I came to appreciate that there are no suitable alternative sites, the odor can be mitigated with new technology, and the landscaping and buildings dramatically improved. Two consultants have told the city as much. Cundiff Park is not an option. The Durango Herald irresponsibly continues to use its editorial power to mislead voters and to suggest it is.
Supporting 2B is the most environmentally, economically and socially acceptable thing to do. Please vote yes on 2B! Thank you.
Ellen R. Stein
Durango
