New claim that Parks ignored preservation law
Another archaeologist says department proceeded hastily
Another former Arizona State Parks & Trails archaeologist has accused the agency of allowing development on parklands without examining and safeguarding sites and artifacts, as required by the Arizona Antiquities Act.
Another former Arizona State Parks & Trails archaeologist has accused the agency of allowing development on parklands without examining and safeguarding sites and artifacts, as required by law.
Paula Pflepsen, the agency’s cultural-resource manager from 2014 to February 2017, said Wednesday that Parks Director Sue Black allowed development projects in at least three state parks without first conducting the required archaeological surveys.
Pflepsen, now a preservation archaeologist in New Mexico, joins former Parks archaeologist Will Russell in alleging that the agency has repeatedly flouted the Arizona Antiquities Act, which outlines how archaeological and paleontological discoveries on state land should be reported and handled. It prohibits defacing protected sites and artifacts.
Russell claims Parks dug up and bulldozed Native American and other archaeological sites without preserving artifacts in a rush to build visitor attractions and increase revenue.
Pflepsen said she wrote a policy on how Parks should work with the tribes. Black signed that policy and it was given to Ducey’s Office on Tribal Relations, she said.
The agency, however, ignored that
policy, Pflepsen said.
Black did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Pflepsen also said that during her tenure Parks:
❚ Had a goal of building 200 cabins to quickly raise money, but had no intention of following the state Antiquities Act.
❚ Built at least four cabins at Kartchner Caverns State Park, near Benson in southern Arizona, without doing an archaeological survey, which she said is required by state law.
❚ Built at least six cabins at Alamo Lake, north of Wenden, without doing a required archaeological survey.
❚ Renovated structures at McFarland State Historic Park in Florence without a “qualified archaeologist” to monitor the work as required.
Pflepsen said she made her concerns known to numerous tribes, but unlike Russell she did not keep documents supporting her allegations.
Russell was hired after Pflepsen resigned. Russell quit Oct. 15, and now works as an archaeologist at another state agency.
Pflepsen and Russell both said they repeatedly cautioned Parks officials that development work might violate the law and cause the destruction of artifacts, but were overruled. Both said Black frequently prohibited them from leaving the agency’s central office in north Phoenix to monitor and assess the state’s 35 parks.
Pflepsen raised similar concerns to
after she quit her job with Parks last year. She brought new, more detailed allegations to on Wednesday, a day after four Native American state lawmakers called for a criminal investigation of Parks.
The lawmakers said their request was prompted by Russell’s claims in the newspaper.
The state Attorney General and U.S. Attorney’s offices on Wednesday declined to comment other than to say they had received the request from Democratic lawmakers Sen. Jamescita Mae Peshlakai and Reps. Eric Descheenie, Wenona Benally and Sally Ann Gonzales.
Those lawmakers also called on Gov. Doug Ducey to immediately fire Black to prevent further harm to Native American archaeological sites on
“There are serious ethical and legal issues regarding compliance, but she (Sue Black) does not comply with them. It’s not like she’s not aware of them. She signed the tribal relationship policy and protocol.”
state parklands.
Pflepsen said Black intentionally did not communicate with Native American tribes about planned developments because, Black told her, the tribes got in the way of development. “Now, some of the tribes or Native American representatives are a little upset to find out these things have happened,” Pflepsen said.
Russell, the other whistleblower, previously told that Deputy Director Jim Keegan told him Parks doesn’t “talk to Indians because it will just open the door to problems.”
Keegan has referred questions to the agency, which did not respond for comment on Wednesday.
Ducey, who has stood behind Black since giving her the job in February 2015, declined to comment on Black’s future Wednesday, saying it was a personnel issue and the state was conducting an investigation.
The latest inquiries are the third and fourth investigations of Black. Ducey has imposed no discipline despite two investigations finding she mistreated staff.
Pflepsen said she was in disbelief that Black “can continually do this and all of these whistleblowers are kicked out of the agency or have their hands tied.”
“There are serious ethical and legal issues regarding compliance, but she (Black) does not comply with them,” Pflepsen said. “It’s not like she’s not aware of them. She signed the tribal relationship policy and protocol.”