• The Sonoran Institute has released a troubling and disappointing report on the SunZia project. We believe it fails to consider vital information and has thereby come to misleading conclusions.
  
  Click here to go to their website and then click the 'Read the Report" link.
  
  It is also troubling that no one in the environmental community was informed about the report's existence, until it was sprung on us in a surprising press release.


• A BLM presentation to the Tohono O'odham Nation on December 6th contained untrue and misleading statements about who is in support of their preferred alternative proposed SunZia route (over the Western San Pedro). The Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service are not "in concurrence" with the preferred route, and the Nature Conservancy has been very clear with CWG that they oppose all proposed routes.
  
  And yet here is a slide shown by the BLM, which says the opposite:
  
  
  
  
  CWG contacted the BLM and received a retraction and apology. But we wonder how influential these presentations have been, how many have seen this misleading information, and how it will affect the final Record of Decision. Why would the BLM present information in favor of a particular route?
  
  For a full critique of the entire presentation, click here

• The San Pedro River: Arizona River of the Month!, selected by the Environmental Defense Fund and four other organizations. This article, along with their river profile give a nice overview of some of the irreplaceable aspects of the San Pedro.

• SunZia Transmission Project Update - just published in Tucson Audubon's Vermillion Flycatcher, by CWG's Mick Meader and Peter Else


• Tucson Weekly: Volts and Revolt - includes an interview with CWG's Mick Meader


• APS's Solana 280 Megawatt solar generation station. This represents Arizona's real energy future, not long-distance transmission from New Mexico--esp alleged wind power
  

  APS was originally going after Wyoming wind power with the Transwest Express Project, which they proposed. When APS figured in the costs of back-up generation needed to stabilize power flow for Wyoming wind during peak load (July and August, mid-afternoon), they found that investing in wind energy would cost them twice as much per unit of power as solar, so they abandoned the Transwest Express Project, selling out to Anschutz, and put all of their money into solar. Smart move. By their calculations, Arizona solar is currently economic with coal and nuclear power. Only natural gas beats it, and then not by much. This is what makes me think that New Mexico wind power may not make it for Arizona and California.
  
                                                                                                                          --opinion from CWG's Mick Meader

• Here is an interesting article on the politics of the Arizona Corporation Commission, explaining how we must be vigilant in preventing special 'energy' interests from taking over and making our energy decisions for us


• Here are some governmental bodies whose DEIS comments were orchestrated by SunZia (and generally endorse the Aravaipa Canyon route desired by SunZia):
  
  • Cochise County Board of Supervisors
  • Graham County Board of Supervisors
  • Greenlee County Board of Supervisors
  • Pinal County Board fo Supervisors
  • Benson City Council
  • Bowie Chamber of Commerce
  • Graham County Chamber of Commerce
  • Willcox City Council
  
  ...instead of endorsing the No Action alternative and/or the Southline Transmission project. [These can be read on our Other DEIS Comments page, under SunZia]. Read David Omick's letter to the Wilcox Range-News, which succinctly explains the error.

• Important new DEIS comment from the US Fish and Wildlife Service


• New DEIS comments to read:
  • From CWG: Supplemental comments on Transmission Congestion with supporting documents
  • EPA Region 6 comments
  • Updated comments from Marshall Magruder


• SunZia DEIS comments (Tom Wray)--
      We've archived five DEIS comments from Tom Wray [see our Other DEIS Comments page] that had been posted on the SunZia website, but have since been taken down. In response to the fifth comment, CWG is posting the following notice:
  

  Notice of Disclosure: None of the comments submitted to the BLM on this website mentions SunZia’s participation in the BLM’s public scoping or review meetings for this project. Although some of the comments strongly criticize the format of these meetings, none of them states or implies that SunZia personnel gave presentations at these meetings, nor do they criticize SunZia’s involvement and behavior at these meetings.



• Thanks to all who participated in our fundraiser benefit (Sept 22), co-sponsored by the Cascabel Conservation Association. (See our facebook page).
  
  

• Here is a comment from the folks at the Continental Divide Trail Coalition


• Read Tim Vanderpool's Tucson Weekly article on the last SunZia public meeting: Power Push, People want to talk about the proposed SunZia power line - but the BLM does not want to hear it. Finally, a fun read.


• CWG has released its extensive response to the BLM's DEIS (draft environmental impact statement)


• See the outpouring of potent DEIS comments from local environmental and other groups


• Read DEIS Comments from Peter Warshall and Associates:
  

  • "The DEIS does not meet NEPA standards and has grave inadequacies and incomplete and unavailable information"...
  • "The best action at this time would be a Deferred No Action Alternative,"...
  • "The only other alternative that appears reasonable is a Phased Alternative, which was not considered by the BLM/EPG"....
  • "The major problems with this DEIS are: poorly defined project and project purpose; project phasing and timing; inadequate presentation of needs and the scale and timing of project development and its environmental impacts; an economic feasibility statement that is incomplete, unavailable and remote in time and speculative in presentation; an unreasonable elimination of alternatives and mitigation measures; extensive unavailable or unobtainable information that is needed to evaluate adverse environmental and socioeconomic impacts; a poor understanding of crucial NEPA terms such as "significance" as as well poor (or non-existent) definition of terms necessary for understanding a transmission line project (e.g.. transfer capacity, congestion); and apparent biases in the presentation of evidence and evaluations."

  
  
• August 19th on KXCI radio (3:30pm) - CWG's Mick Meader was on the air along with Sandy Bahr of the Sierra Club, and Russ Lowes, Energy Chair of the Rincon Chapter of the Sierra Club. This was on KXCI's "A View from Slightly Off Center" program, hosted by David Yerkey. You can find KXCI on your dial at 91.3 FM. We hope you were able to give us a listen.


• Sierra Club encourages all to Oppose the SunZia Transmission Line!


• The SunZia DEIS is 2,200 pages long and includes a San Pedro route segment that was not presented during the scoping phase of the project. CWG, along with 15 co-signing groups, sent this formal letter to the BLM requesting:
  • a true public hearing on the SunZia DEIS (vs 'review meetings')
  • an extension of the 90-day public comment period on the DEIS (which is 2,200 pages!)

  --->This has been DENIED by the BLM (08/16/12). See their webpage for details.



• View the CWG SunZia presentation made to our local Community Watershed Alliance (CWA)


• California does not need out-of-state renewables. Does SunZia really have sufficient "Purpose and Need" to justify its intrusion over our lands and lives? Read a letter from the California Senior Advisor to the Governor for Renewable Energy Facilities, Michael Picker, to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council.

  "Most California utilities report that they are already oversubscribed for renewable power generation" ...[in response to an inquiry on the need for SunZia to Calfornians]



• The Washington, D.C. Examiner published an opinion column on the BLM's handling of the SunZia Tucson public review meeting. From the column:

  "I think it's a green-washed marketing scheme saying it's needed to reduce dependence on fossil fuels." Else alleged. "In fact, the only approved project is a huge natural gas-fired generating plant near Bowie, Ariz."

• CWG calls for Public Hearing on SunZia -
  Along with local NRCDs, CWG questions the Purpose and Need for SunZia. See our July 22 Press Release
  
  • as publised in the in the Tucson Citizen
  • NRCD's press release
  
  From the release:

  " Following a 45-minute presentation by the BLM [July 17th, Tucson] and its consultant about the project timeline and the basic facts of the project, citizens at the meeting held a spontaneous public comment session, despite objections made by the BLM. The BLM refused to respond to questions in front of the audience as a whole and failed to record the comments voiced by the public during the ad hoc hearing.
  
  This peaceful demonstration was spurred on by Peter Else, a resident of Mammoth, and member of the Winkelman Natural Resources Conservation District. His request to allow the public to speak following the BLM presentation was denied. He then proceeded to outline his concerns about the SunZia project to the 100 people who quietly remained in their seats."

  



• Read CWG's letter to the Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Department of Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu, Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, and the Deputy Assistant to the President on Energy and Climate Change Heather Zichal
  

  " Environmental conflicts between the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project and the San Pedro River Valley, Arizona"



• Read Arizona Star opinion piece from CWG members Lisa Vogel and Mick Meader


• CWG's Mick Meader appeared on KVOA-TV in opposition to SunZia


• More Opposition to SunZia Transmission Line

• Issues to Consider - should SunZia be built?


• Do we need both SunZia and Southline? See our Comment to the BLM on the Southline Project

  "It thus seems imprudent and duplicative to build both systems."

• Tom Wray of SunZia wrote a comment to the BLM on their preferred route.

• At the end of May, the BLM released its DEIS, recommending a route on the west side of the San Pedro Valley (see our maps page for details).
  
  
  • BLM SunZia project main page
  • DEIS - indexed version
    

    NOTE: the individual files on the BLM DEIS page are so large that it is recommended to right-click on them and select "Save". Experience has shown that left-clicking on the files (which attempts to open them in the browser) can cause some browsers to hang. Opening them later with Adobe Reader (just clicking on the saved file) seems to work much better.

  Comment period ends August 22nd, 2012. Comments can be submitted using this form.


• Public open houses discussing the DEIS (and soliciting comments) have been scheduled as described in the BLM SunZia newsletter. Some local meetings include:
  

  Benson - July 12
  Tucson - July 17
  San Manuel - July 18
  



• Arizona Congressman Grijalva's important press release on the DEIS
  


• No demand for SunZia - Arizona Star article
  

  "David Hutchens, president of Tucson Electric Power, said there is excess electric capacity in Arizona,..."



• The Southline Transmission Project has extended its scoping comment period deadline to July 5th. There's still time to offer support to this better project.

• IQA Petition - finally a response! -->the result being that some info has been edited on the BLM website, but there will be no re-scoping or extended public comment period


• To watch: HB2789 - Power Taken from the Corporation Commission?
  In general, this bill would require that the state Legislature approve any rules made by the ACC.   As of March 19th, the bill passed the Senate majority caucus.   Much of the public focus on this bill has been over the ACC's renewable energy requirements, but...
  Could this bill also affect ACC power line siting decisions?


• The Southline Transmission Project, which seems to be an environmentally conscious and cooperative effort, is soon to being its initial scoping. Public comments will be accepted by the BLM through June 4th.
  
  The project is attempting to build primarily along established corridors and it somewhat overlaps with the SunZia project territory and intent. For more information, refer to CWG's report from February 2011.

  The overlap and redundancy between the Southline and SunZia Projects is apparent, and constructing them simultaneously to serve the same area does not appear to make economic sense. Environmentally, the Southline Project is far more benign in Arizona and does not traverse any key environmentally sensitive areas.



• BLM's SunZia DEIS has been moved back to mid/late June (from May just earlier this month!).

• March 19th- Albuquerque Journal -   " Benefits Seem Overstated for SunZia Project" - thanks to the research done by CWG's Mick Meader, the Albuquerque Journal re-addressed the alledged economic impacts of the SunZia project

• The BLM website has again pushed back the release of the SunZia project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), this time to mid-April. Keep checking the BLM website for any news.

• The BLM website continues to say that its release of the SunZia project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is tentatively set for mid-January (now). Keep checking the BLM website for any news.

• SunZia Opponents Stretch On and On


• SunZia's alleged new jobs figures require heavy scrutiny

  The first thing to ask yourself when evaluating the veracity of any study is "Who Funded It?". Answer in this case: SunZia themselves. See CWG's research writer, Mick Meader's report containing a more realisitc, reasonable set of potential jobs numbers---not at all like those SunZia would like you to see. ...there is a definite difference between actual "jobs" and "job-years".

• See SunZia's updated proposed routes, offering 3 unacceptable choices: an east San Pedro route, a west San Pedro route, or an Aravaipa route.


• California Says No Energy Imports Needed
  Another reason why SunZia makes no economic sense. Read the article here, or read a letter from the Senior Advisor to the Governor for Renewable Energy Facilities

• SunZia - Could it Make it on its Own Merits Without Government Favors and Clever PR?
  --Selling itself as "green" (see Information Quality Act Petition in the September and July news sections),
  --using the Arizona Legislature to attempt to change oversight (see SB1517 in the April news section),
  --and now federal "fast tracking" and the abuse of the "jobs" flag
  

  Please read this excellent Op-Ed piece from Albert Vetere Lannon of the Avra Valley area (or click here to see it on the Tucson Weekly opinion page.)

• Obama Plan to Fast-Track Powerlines, including SunZia, in the Name of Creating Jobs
  See the October 5th Associated Press article or a more critical article arguing this has been done before and failed. Renewable Energy World mentions that SunZia, despite claims, does little for geothermal interests


• The BLM's release of the SunZia project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) further delayed.

  "The DEIS is tentatively scheduled to be released in mid-January 2012." -- BLM website

• San Pedro Valley Cooperative Conservation Initiative
  
  On September 22, 2011 the Redington and Winkelman NRCD's hosted a meeting with the Fish and Wildlife Service at the Central Arizona College at Aravaipa to introduce the idea of a San Pedro Valley Cooperative Conservation Initiative that could potentially include a National Wildlife Refuge.
  
  Click here to see CWG member Mick Meader's thorough notes on the meeting


• Information Quality Act Appeal
  
  The Winkelman and Redington NRCD's have filed an appeal on their Information Quality Act Petition (see July News section for more detail). The response to the original petition was that the New Mexico BLM would simply make unspecified revisions to the five challenged statements of purpose in the draft EIS. The Appeal explains how this action would defeat the purpose of the scoping period by denying the public and stakeholders the right to comment on an accurate description of the project prior to the final development of the draft EIS. The Appeal also continues to insist that four specific disclosures are made regarding the relationship between the proposed project and non-renewable sources of energy, as well as the regulatory and economic factors that would affect the nature of generation sources ultimately gaining access to the proposed lines. The Washington D.C. based Information Resources officer has until November 5th to respond to this Appeal.
  
  Here is a copy of the Appeal.


• The BLM's release of the SunZia project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)

  "is tentatively scheduled to be released in mid-October 2011. " -- BLM website

• Information Quality Act Petition - (SunZia's claim to be "primarily renewable" has misled the public)
  
  The Redington and Winkelman Natural Resource Conservation Districts have submitted a petition to the BLM entitled

  REQUEST FOR CORRECTION OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN SCOPING DOCUMENTS FOR THE SUN ZIA SOUTHWEST TRANSMISSION PROJECT

  The gist of the petition is that the description of purpose made by SunZia has misled the public and those who attended BLM scoping meetings of the true nature of the project. Their stated purpose is

  "...is to transport electricity generated from power generation resources, including primarily renewable resources, to western markets and load centers".

  The 'primarily renewable' description which has so heavily influenced supporters of the SunZia project is argued to be purely speculative.
  
  Click here to view the petition.

• SB1517 was overwhelmingly defeated 40-14-6!  Next step for SB1517 is the Arizona Rules Committee, chaired by Representative Weiers.    SB1517 has moved out of the Rules Committee [for which they called a special meeting with SB1517 being the only item on the agenda] and into the Committee of the Whole. If it continues, it would soon thereafter move onto the House floor.


• We understand that the Tohono O'odham have refused to allow SunZia across the Garcia strip (and hence down the Avra Valley). Current proposals before the BLM would leave them only with the Aravaipa region or the San Pedro River Valley.


• an Arizona Star article on SB1517 implies that Frank Pratt, Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has been "talking" with the Cascabel Working Group (and others) about possible changes to the bill. This is not correct. CWG has had no official communication with Rep Pratt on the bill; our position is that we want it scrapped.

SunZia must not legislate away our right to be heard!

Wilcox Range News published our opinion letter on SB1517 (March 30, 2011). Arizona Daily Star article on SB1517 (April 2, 2011). Keep Arizona's Voice in Line Siting - Arizona Sierra Club article, including ideas for writing your legislator 3/22/11: Unfortunately, SB1517 did not die in committee. By a vote of 5 to 3, the bill lives on. CWG will continue to fight it and we urge you to help us by telling your congressional representatives how you feel. See our SB1517 page for details (congressional contacts at bottom). SB1517 (was SB1547) will hear testimony before the Arizona House Energy and Natural Resources Committee this monday, March 21st. Please read CWG's urgent message containing the latest details and asking that we all take a moment to call members of the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Update 3/17/11: SB1547 has now been pulled and rebranded as a "strike-all" bill. (For info on strike-all bills, click here). CWG has been working round the clock with representatives from The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club and others (SunZia and their lobbying reps [Copper State Consulting] are also in the loop) to help author an amendment to the bill and get it to congress ASAP, the general focus of which is to guarantee opportunity for public comments on transmission projects like SunZia at the state level. We're very concerned about the wording of this amendment and would prefer that the entire bill was terminated. IMPORTANT: The SunZia-backed Arizona Senate Bill 1547 has been pushed through committee and now goes before the Arizona House of Representatives. We urge you to contact your state representatives to let them know how you feel about this!    Here is an open letter from CWG co-chair, Pearl Mast, to interested parties giving the background and describing the urgent need to speak out against SB1547, including relevant links.

• First the good news:
  The SunZia project's potential environmental disaster could be averted
  by opting for the Southline Transmission Project instead !
  See CWG Board Member Mick Meader's report. Here's a sample:

  The overlap and redundancy between the Southline and SunZia Projects is apparent, and constructing them simultaneously to serve the same area does not appear to make economic sense. Environmentally, the Southline Project is far more benign in Arizona and does not traverse any key environmentally sensitive areas.

• The bad news: CWG is investigating a questionable bill before the Arizona Senate (SB 1547) which may ease the regulations which govern SunZia's permitting process. From the Bill:

  Purpose: Exempts a person who is contemplating construction of certain interstate transmission lines from Power Plant and Line Siting Committee requirements.

• CWG's enjoyable Annual Meeting/fundraiser happened on the 19th where a new board was elected.

• CWG is interested in initiating a collaborative process to review the SunZia project through the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.


• The SunZia project's new competition: the Southline Transmission Project. The Southline service area is similar to SunZia's and it is also intended to carry "green" energy... and the best news is that they seem to be environmentally conscious. From their homepage:

  The Southline is sited in a way that enables access some of the best renewable resources in Arizona and New Mexico without crossing the most sensitive lands, including (among others) National Forests, sensitive riparian zones and wilderness study areas. In fact, most of the route recycles rights-of-way, eliminating the need for new roads and minimizing the impact to pristine wilderness. Specifically, our preferred route runs adjacent to abandoned railroad beds and inside of existing transmission corridors.

• CWG, in cooperation with Friends of the Aravaipa Region, releases draft EIS contributions for the Aravaipa Watershed and Lower San Pedro River.


• New Upload: Map Showing the Variety and Scope of Existing Conservation Efforts in the San Pedro River Valley

• The Relationship of the High Plains Express Project to the SunZia Project
• The Early History of the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project
• The Relationship of the Bowie, Arizona, Power Plant to the Evolution and Scope of the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project
• Transmission Needs for the Bowie, Arizona, Power Plant,
• Comparison of Peak Wind-Energy Production in Central New Mexico with Peak Electrical Consumption in Arizona and New Mexico

• CWG's Environmental Impact Research Released!

I understand that the Bureau of Land Management is currently assessing the environmental impacts of the various alternative routes proposed by the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project. I am pleased to see that the SunZia Project is now considering routes that follow the major infrastructure corridor along Interstate 10. Routes within the developed or highly disturbed areas near this corridor are the only appropriate routes for new high voltage lines in the project's Arizona study area. Building a new major infrastructure corridor in the environmentally sensitive areas of the Aravaipa and San Pedro regions would cause permanent damage to our dwindling wilderness areas in southern Arizona. I encourage the BLM to perform their environmental assessments in an objective manner, without the influence of corporate interest in minimizing construction costs. Land lease costs on our public lands are ridiculously low, and could never compensate for the permanent loss of wildlife habitat and wildlife migration corridors. If this project does not have the resources to build its power lines along existing developed corridors, then this project should not proceed. If this turns out to be the case, it would be in Arizona's best long-term interest to develop its own renewable energy resources, while developing the existing distribution network in a responsible manner.

Comments will be taken at a public meeting on April 29th, 2010 at the Holiday Inn, 4550 South Palo Verde Road..

For more information, see the BLM's SunZia page and the article BLM Seeks Additional Public Input on Proposed SunZia Southwest Transmission Project on the BLM's website.

Members of the SunZia project met with the residents of Cascabel on January 13, 2010 at the Cascabel Community Center. Community members received information about the project and were able to ask questions and state their concerns about the project.

We had an excellent turnout for the meeting and would like to thank everyone for attending. We also would like to thank the SunZia folks who attended as well as the Bureau of Land Management and  EPG, the third-party contractor on the  Environmental Impact Study. Several environmental organizations and local organizations were also represented at the meeting and were given an opportunity to make statements. To see some of the what happened at the meeting (and for downloads), visit our presentations page and scroll down to the lower half of the page.

Peter Else, a resident of Dudleyville, Arizona attended the Cascabel meeting and has given us permission to post his insightful comments.