The Rodeo-Chediski Fire Complex began as a small blaze in a remote region of east-central Arizona and within days erupted into the largest wildfire in Arizona history. Fortunately, no lives were lost. However, from June 18, 2002 to the time of its containment on July 7, 2002, the Rodeo-Chediski fire destroyed over 490 structures and 467,000 acres of ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper woodland—an estimated 500 million to 1.3 billion board feet of timber. Jurisdictions involved included the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, the Tonto National Forest, and private lands adjacent to Highway 260, from the Town of Forest Lakes east to the City of Show Low. Virtually all of the acres burned were in Navajo County, with some damage in the contiguous counties of Coconino, Apache, and Gila Counties. This health assessment describes the fire events and summarizes the resulting public health impacts from the fire.

The Arizona Department of Health Services completed this health consultation at the request of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. This consult evaluates whether soil vapors from volatile organic compounds in the subsurface near the Silver Creek Subdivision in Tucson, Arizona are present at levels that may cause adverse health effects.

The purpose of this health consultation is to evaluate the air monitoring conducted by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality at Mary McLeod Bethune School (Phoenix, AZ) and evaluate the potential impact on public health. The air monitoring data includes particulate matter and metals. The ADEQ’s primary objective of this air sampling is to provide an understanding of the hazardous air pollutants in the Phoenix area.

The Blue Ridge Elementary School began receiving complaints from parents and staff in 1996. The primary complaints were related to air quality problems associated with renovation activities. The school responded to these complaints by hiring a consultant to evaluate the environmental conditions at the school. The school received a report in 1997 containing several recommendations that the school implemented in 1997. A group of parents continued to express concerns about environmental conditions at the school. This group suggested that environmental exposures might be causing some students to be absent from school. In response to these complaints, the school hired another environmental consultant to conduct a follow up environmental assessment in December 2002. This report summarizes and evaluates the environmental data collected for the school and examines school attendance rates to determine whether students are absent more than at similar schools and if so, whether environmental conditions could be a contributing factor.

This health consultation evaluates results of irrigation well samples collected by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality in October 2003. Previous results obtained by the Blue Ridge Elementary School District in the summer of 2003 indicated trichloroethylene levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Maximum Contaminant Level. In addition, the most recent (2002) Annual Water Quality Report from the drinking water supplier, Arizona Water Company, was reviewed. A previous health consultation (Blue Ridge Elementary School, Lakeside, Navajo County, Arizona Health Consultation-April 30, 2003) reviewed environmental conditions at Blue Ridge Elementary School. Parents and school staff were concerned that environmental exposures were causing students to be absent from school. Drinking water quality reports, indoor air quality data, food safety, environmental sanitation records, student attendance rates, and the results of an annual parent satisfaction survey were evaluated in the consultation. Arizona Department of Health Services concluded that environmental conditions at Blue Ridge Elementary School posed no apparent public health hazard, and that attendance rates were similar to statewide attendance rates. As part of the 2003 health consultation, ADHS requested that the school district conduct water sampling from the on-site irrigation water wells for the school grounds. Those sampling results were not available when the 2003 health consultation was completed.

In March 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requested information on efforts to monitor and protect children from exposure to lead in drinking water at schools. The Arizona Department of Health Services reviewed the state lead poisoning registry, and analyzed drinking water samples from 45 randomly selected schools. The Office of Environmental Health provided this consultation to help document our findings and supplement our response to the EPA. This work was also undertaken to help provide useful information should hazardous waste sites be discovered in the future near these schools. We also wanted to apply the ATSDR health assessment process in support of state and federal efforts to protect the health of children.

The Santa Cruz County Health Department and the sheriff's office, along with the U.S. Border Patrol have expressed concerns regarding incidental contact with the water in Nogales Wash, Arizona. The public has expressed significant concern about direct public exposure to waters flowing in the wash. The Arizona Department of Health Services completed this health consultation to evaluate the levels of organic and inorganic chemicals at the request of the Santa Cruz County Health Department.

The Arizona Department of Health Services conducted a carbon monoxide exposure survey among recreational boaters at the Maricopa County Lake Pleasant Regional Park during the 2003 Labor Day weekend. To investigate the extent that recreational boaters are exposed to carbon monoxide from a variety of watercraft, ADHS measured exhaled carbon monoxide to determine the amount of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) present in their blood. To determine whether a widespread public health hazard exists because of carbon monoxide exposure from watercraft, the ADHS health consultation, "Investigation of Carbon Monoxide Exposure, Rotary Beach at the London Bridge, Lake Havasu, Arizona, May 25-26, 2003", recommended conducting further biomonitoring studies at other recreational lakes in Arizona. ADHS asked the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), under its Cooperative Agreement Program with ADHS, to interpret data from the Lake Pleasant survey and to determine whether carbon monoxide exposure is a public health hazard among recreational boaters at Lake Pleasant.

Co-chairman Bill Post and other members of the Citizens’ Finance Review Commission have identified Arizona’s management of its federal funds as an issue for consideration. To assist the Commission with its deliberations, the co-chairman asked Arizona State University to develop a very brief “think piece” on this matter. As requested, this document intentionally provides only the most basic information on this complex subject. Its primary purpose is to frame the issue for discussion by the Commission and to list alternative ways the state could better manage its substantial grant activity with the federal government each year.

State trust lands are among the greatest public assets in Arizona’s portfolio. Set aside at statehood, the Arizona State Land Department manages more than 9 million acres of trust lands on behalf of 14 beneficiaries. The largest of which by far is Arizona Public Education K through 12.The mission of the Land Department is to maximize revenues from these trust lands. In FY 2005, state trust lands generated $115 million for all beneficiaries, of which $101 million was designated to support public K-12 schools.These amounts are increasing rapidly as more state trust land becomes attractive for development in Arizona’s urban areas.

The parcel discussed in this report, “Superstition Vistas,” stands out as the jewel among Arizona’s trust lands. Not only is it situated in the path of metro Phoenix growth, but it also borders thousands of acres of public land managed by the Tonto National Forest and U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Estimates of its total value run well into the billions of dollars.

"The Treasure of the Superstitions" sets the stage for a continuing dialogue about the potential for Superstition Vistas, and indeed, all of Arizona’s trust lands. We look forward to listening to and working with our beneficiaries, citizens, counties, municipalities, real estate businesses, and other interested parties to make the most of Arizona’s “treasure.”