Tommy Acosta

Sedona AZ (December 7, 2008) – Oh dear! Oh my! Another stumbling block in the path of the 76 or more lights for 89A. This…is a big one.

This saga plays out like a heavyweight match between two worthy opponents in an Ultimate Fighting contest.

Back and forth and back and forth. It looks like the pro-dark skies group has gained advantage, holding the pro-lights group down on the mat for the time being.

These NEPA studies do have a tendency to take a bit of time to complete. With the economic situation stretching the Feds, if this project, after all the studies and hearings are complete takes a year or so, that Fed money will be spent somewhere else.

That means no lights, unless the city government decides to fund the $1.8 million project itself after the impact study is complete.

Chances are a year from now the city itself will be scraping pennies from its piggy bank so the possibility of perusing such a path is close to nil.

The Sedona-Verde Valley Times pulp edition will be mailed December 11, 2008. This issue is chock-full of good articles and observations.

Again, we invite the community to comment on anything we do write. We will publish all points of view unedited save for grammar and AP style.

To be or not to be remains the question.

I guess an acknowledgement of former KSB President Barbara Litrell’s tenacity and passion for protecting Sedona’s dark skies in order. Twas’ a many fronted counter-attack on the lights and one thrust had to eventually turn the trick.

As a political strategist I’m pretty much at a loss to read what the pro-lights faction will do next. Putting myself in their shoes there really is nothing they can do but sit on their hands and wait for the NEPA study, which could take forever with all the hearings and studies that have to be done.

The process will devour precious man-hour time and resources from both the city and ADOT. They can’t rush the study or vote to overrule it. It’s got to be very frustrating for those who want those lights up. It’s a class-act check on the political chess board with few, if any, moves open for proponents to escape. They are pretty much done on the lights for now. The environmental impact study should have been done first.

It is also a reprieve for the mayor who has been walking a tight rope between his desire that, if lights have to go in, that we get the most dark-sky compliant lights available — and the desire by his supporters that he fight the lights tooth-and-nail to the bitter end.

OK Sedona. Stay tuned for the next two events on the horizon…

For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!