The Arizona Legislature is currently raging over a bill that would allow private utilities water extraction from rural areas west of Phoenix. Legislators from both sides are unsure how to vote.
It is one of many environment-related measures that are on the table.
Both elected officials and environmental activists turned their attention to the issuesWednesday, at the annualEnvironment Day at the Capitol. The day’s program featured speeches by the mayors of Phoenix and Tempe, Mesa, and a spirit circle led by a faith-based environmental organization.
Many people gathered at Capitol’s rose garden to hear speeches about green legislation, environmental racism, and a spiritual approach for the climate crisis.
It is easy to forget that we live within a desert,” said Rep. Judy Schwiebert (D-Phoenix), when she spoke of the importance of protecting Arizona’s natural resources and water supply.
Here are some of these bills that state legislators are working on in the capitol to address declining water resources and climate change.
Groundwater
House Bill 2055Rep. Gail Griffin, R.Hereford, chairperson for the House Natural Resources, Energy and Water committee, sponsored the bill. It would allow public service corporations to extract water in the Harquahala irrigation area, which has been subject to irrigation restrictions since 1981.
Although municipalities, counties, and cities were allowed to pump water from the area, they are not permitted to do so now, as the water is too poor quality and would be expensive to extract and treat.
Rep. Regina Cobb, R. Kingman, stated that the bill was designed for Epcor (a Canadian utility company that provides water to Arizonans)
Yuma Water Users Association supports this bill. They believe it could reduce pressure on Colorado River water which has been suffering from a drought. Historic drought. The association asked Rep. Brian Fernandez (D-Yuma), to vote for the bill, but he stated that he is still undecided.
Griffins own party members raised concerns and opposed the bill.
We have never considered it a good idea. Sandy Bahr, president, Sierra Clubs Grand Canyon chapter said.
Arizona Corporation Commission, which oversees Epcor, has recently allowed the utility to charge Arizona customers the same water rate. Some Republicans are concerned that water rates will rise because Harquahala water can be expensive to extract and treat.
Griffins Republican counterparts called for a bigger conversation about water in Tuesday’s caucus hearing.
Rep. Tim Dunn, R. Yuma, stated that this is a savings fund and that we are in a drought. Is this something we can use to augment and offset the CAPs’ inability to deliver water? Or should this be used to provide a continuous 100-year supply for water, so that Buckeyes and other cities can have the new growth they are seeing?
The Central Arizona Project Canal supplies Colorado River water to Phoenix. Tucson, and Pinal County.
Another bill, HB2661 seeks to find a middle ground when it comes to the regulation of groundwater resources. It was sponsored by Regina Cobb, R.Kingman, whose district has experienced an increase in groundwater resource regulation. Pumping groundwater has increasedIn recent years.
The bill would create an area of rural management, which is less strict than active management areas. These guidelines are for places like Phoenix, Tucson, and Prescott. It’s a step up to the minimal regulation some basins in her District have received.
Cobb stated that there aren’t any other tools. Because of the extensive regulation, our area and most rural Arizona don’t want to be part of an active management area.
Mohave County Two times had been appliedThe Department of Water Resources was contacted for an irrigation area designation. However, it was denied both times. The department determined that the basin was sufficient water for irrigation at the time, despite fears by local officials.
Cobb stated that we cannot assume that just because something isn’t at risk today, it will be tomorrow. We are in drought and we know there will be basins at high risk. Already we are seeing this. We’ve already seen wells go dry. We’ve seen subsidence. We’ve seen many different factors that indicate we will have groundwater issues in rural Arizona.
The bill would be specific to a basin and allow county supervisors the ability to form a committee made up of community members to plan ways to reduce risk in a sub-basin or basin. Cobb said that the plan could include many options, including limiting water consumption. The plan would then be submitted to Department of Water Resources for approval or disapproval.
Cobbs bill has not yet been assigned to a committee, let alone heard. She said that the bill is, She proposes each year.Griffin’s committee has been hearing Griffin’s idea for five years. However, Griffin doesnt support it.
Infrastructure for electric vehicle
SB1246, sponsoredby Sen. Paul Boyer (R-Glendale), would make it easier to switch to electric buses in school districts. The bill would create a list of certified vendors who can supply school buses with electric power. It could also provide funds for schools to purchase electric buses or related infrastructure.
Boyer stressed that the bill doesn’t require schools to convert to electric buses. The $5 billion will be applied for by the state.Bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs ActThe November 2011 law was passed and provides grants for zero emission and low-carbon school buses.
Boyer stated that if we are able to compete for these grants and the money’s been appropriated by federal government, Arizona should be able to create a cleaner environment in Arizona for students. He also said that we should be able to reduce some of the bus costs that districts are paying for.
Chispa Arizona, a Latino environmental organization, has been active since Campaigning for electric school busses, pointing out High rates of asthma in Latinos and Black communities. Vianey Olivarra is the co-director of Chispa Arizonas. She said that the group supports Boyers bill, but has questions about which districts will receive the buses and whether the vendors are labor-friendly.
We found it a conversation, especially as this keeps occurring in the environmental space. To center equally and to focus on the communities most affected by climate change, she said. These include communities of color, Indigenous communities, and low-income families.
The current bill states that 25% should be granted to grants Rural and remote suggestions.
Senator Victoria Steele (D-Tucson) has introduced a series of bills related to electric car infrastructure. These bills would establish pilot programs for electric vehicle chargers, and create a study panel to examine electrifying transportation.
Steele stated that SB1152, which would require Arizona to create a plan for electric vehicle infrastructure expansion and charging network expansion, is the most important bill. Arizona received $76 million in infrastructure funds. The state can also apply to receive up to $2.5 billion in grants.
The $76 million is subject to conditions: The state must submit to the U.S. Department of Transportation an outline of what it would do using the funds.
“The truth is that Arizona has access to hundreds of millions of dollars in unrestricted money. All we need to do is make a plan for how to use it,” she stated. This gift horse is too good to be ignored.
Both pilot program bills require $500,000 over two years. The funds would initially be paid with the general fund, then the federal infrastructure bill funds if approved. SB1151 would allow state agency to apply for electric car charging stations, especially in areas where Arizonans often spend extended periods of their time like state parks, museums, or the motor vehicle department. SB1150 would grant grants to people who want to retrofit their homes for electric car charging.
Steele stated that she has tried for years to get this legislation passed, but this year it looks promising because of the funding from federal infrastructure act and trust-building between Republicans. Steele said that she introduced the legislation after being contacted by a youth activist.
She replied that he was just asking for my solution. I was trying to explain that I was only a Democrat. He didn’t have the power to do this. I started to explain to him why I wasn’t going to do it. I was shocked at how hollow those words sounded. And that even though it wasn’t going through, I had no choice but to try it.
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
HB2053 would fund the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, which is the state’s main agency for managing environmental hazards like water quality and pollution.
The department received a low ratingperformance auditIn September of last year, the Arizona Auditor General determined that the agency had not met standards for eight groundwater contaminants for between seven-29 years.
The audit found that the Department had not developed all the required aquifer water quality standard, performed key ongoing groundwater monitoring of the States’ aquifers, or monitored for agricultural pesticides within the groundwater. This has limited its ability to protect these waters from pollution.
After passing the House 54-4 in favor, the bill now moves onto the Arizona Senate. Bahr stated that she wished that the Legislature had given deadlines for the department to meet certain standards.
We were not against DEQ continuing, but we specifically asked the legislature to hold them responsible for programs that received poor review in its performance audit. Their performance audit relative to water quality was poor. So we thought that if you want to keep the agency going for eight more years, which we do, then why not actually require it to do its job.
The department also requested regulation of coal combustion residuals. This was outlined in HB2411. If not properly disposed, residuals are created by the burning of coal in power plants. They contain pollutants like mercury and cadmium that can taint water supplies.
The Republic reported previously that state officials were Communicating with utilities companies for months about a state-run coal residual program. Environmental advocacy groups fear that ceding control to the EPA will mean lower standards and less enforcement.
Rep. Andrs. Cano, D. Tucson, urged legislators to vote against this bill due to the department performance audit.
It is evident that although the staff at the agency do a great job, they don’t follow state law, he stated. ADEQ could update its arsenic level and fix the other issues identified by the auditor general before starting a new program.
After narrowly passing in the house 31-28, the bill was sent to the Senate on February 3, after it passed the Senate.
While activists have lobbied for and against many groundwater, electric vehicle, and climate change bills they also warn that the slate anti-voting bills in Congress is crucial for protecting the environment.
Bahr from the Sierra Club said, “I just think it’s really important to realize that those issues really don’t have to be separate.” A healthy environment is dependent upon a healthy democracy. Many of these bills aim at ensuring that we don’t have both.
Zayna Sayed is an environmental reporter with The Arizona Republic/azcentral. Follow her tweets @zaynasyed_ to keep up with her reporting and send any tips or information regarding stories.[email protected].
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust grants support environmental coverage on azcentral.com as well as in The Arizona Republic. Follow The Republic environmental reporting team atenvironment.azcentral.comand @azcenvironmentonFacebook,TwitterandInstagram.
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