The Grand Canyon is under environmental attack. According to the Wilderness Society, Arizona's Grand Canyon is one of the 15 most endangered wildlands in United States. The organization anticipates irreparable injury to the Grand Canyon if corrective measures are not promptly taken.

One kind of pollution that concerns environmentalists is noise pollution. Yes, noise is a form of pollution. Remember that the next time your kids have their stereo volume turned up too loudly.

Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration placed a freeze on the number of commercial tourist flights that may take to the skies over the park. Apparently, human generated noises from airplanes, boats and other man made sources are drowning out the park's natural sounds.

It has reportedly gotten to the point where wildlife is becoming adversely affected. Reportedly, during daylight hours, tourist planes can be heard every nine seconds. Every NINE seconds. It does sound maddening, doesn't it?

Humans can be just too darn noisy for their own good. Now, the government is shushing all of us if an effort to maintain natural order in one of our most important national treasures. Your would think that we could all breathe easier now.

But, not quite yet. You see, the air has become dirtier and dirtier in the Canyon as well. Again, its us humans. One of the largest causes, though there are many, is apparently smog from nearby utility plants.

In 1990, Congress created the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission to address the dirty air problem in the park's vicinity. The Commission consists of eight State governors, tribal representatives and representatives of several federal agencies.

One of the initial tasks was the creation of an inventory of all sources of air pollution affecting the Canyon area. This included forest fires, coal combustion, smelter's, residential combustion sources, factory sources, and others.

The attention to this issue has yielded progress.. Late last year, a major coal burning power plant agreed to install pollution control equipment to settle a federal lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club and others. The utility agreed to a install scrubbers, filters and new burners, aimed at reducing the release of smog creating gases and particulates.

By some estimates, improvements at this facility will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by at least 85 percent. The project should be completed by early 2000 at an approximately 300 million dollar price tag.

The last few years have been bad public relations year for some utility companies. According to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council, the nations 100 top power companies are responsible for many smog causing releases throughout the United States. At least for the Grand Canyon area, this source of air pollution will hopefully be controlled.

So, some steps have now been taken which may clear, and quiet, the air over the Grand Canyon. Leave it to humans to spoil one of our greatest natural wonders. Maybe its not too late to fix the harm we have caused.

Humans are not alone in this world. When we treat our natural resources with disrespect, the resources degrade. And it seems to take a lot longer to reverse this process than it does to cause it in the first place. Will we ever learn?

Published: March 9, 2000

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.