July 2026 Updates: La Osa Project, Spring Appeal, New Staff

News from around the Monument:

Grand Staircase CRA. We are relieved by the recent news that the Congressional Review Act (CRA) will not be used to undo the resource management plan associated with Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument – for now, anyway. If this came to pass, other National Conservation Lands (including Ironwood Forest National Monument) could potentially be stripped of protections using the same legal strategy. Our partners at Conservation Lands Foundation wrote up an excellent summary of the current situation which you can read here.

La Osa Data Center. In the Spring 2026 edition of our newsletter, Ironwood Essence, we reported on a solar field tied to the La Osa project – a proposed data center in Pinal County that would border Ironwood Forest National Monument. FIF has been working closely with the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection on this issue, and we recently co-authored a letter to Pinal County highlighting several concerns about the project. At the most recent Pinal County Board of Supervisors meeting in May, we learned that the project is undergoing a substantial reduction in size and scope, from an estimated 59 buildings to just 11. In light of this news, we are currently awaiting word on whether the project will return to Pinal County’s Planning Division for re-analysis. The next Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for August 2026.

BLM Land Health Evaluation. Last month, we reported that BLM’s Tucson Field Office released a land health evaluation that concluded 9 of 12 grazing allotments in Ironwood Forest National Monument failed one or more of the three required standards for healthy, functioning lands. The Fall 2026 edition of our newsletter will have more in-depth coverage on this issue.

Spring Fundraising Results. We just wrapped up our spring appeal for donations, and we’re pleased to report that we raised just over $3,200 in the months of May and June. Since FIF is a small, mostly volunteer-run organization, every dollar counts – and has a direct impact on our ability to steward the Monument. Special thanks to the 5 individuals that donated for the very first time!

New Managing Director. Finally, we’re pleased to share that our new Managing Director, Nick Arcobaleno, has officially joined our team. You can read Nick’s short bio on the FIF website here. He succeeds Lee Pagni, who spent eight years in the role. We’re grateful for Lee’s service and will have more to say about this transition soon.