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January 2018



December 2017

  • FAA to evaluate proposed SunZia standards violations near San Manuel airport.
    See their aeronautical study, which is open to public comments.


November 2017

Update on the Lawsuit Against the Arizona Corporation Commission

(Background press release is here)


May 2017

April 2017

  • CWG is composing our comment on SunZia's Plan of Development

    On November 14, 2015, the Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee of the Arizona Corporation Commission recommended that SunZia be granted a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility. Line Siting Committee Recommendation

    After many weeks of testimony and deliberations, this document carries 37 Conditions. Once the Corporation Commissioners voted 3 to 2 to grant the CEC, Condition 29 went into effect: SunZia is to invite comment from Participating Stakeholders on the Plan of Development.

    We are currently developing our comment which will be published on this website after May 4th. Notably, 7 of the 13 pages of the Commissioners' decision is Chairman Little's dissent (starting p.7). He details reasons why the CEC should not have been granted. We agree.


November 2016

April 2016

March 2016

  • From the Arizona Daily Star, Conflict of Interest Taints power-line plan, critics say

    This article questions the integrity of the role played by EPG (Environmental Planning Group) which prepared SunZia's environment impact statement for the BLM.

    One thing that author, Tony Davis, neglected to mention is that EPG has worked closely with Tom Wray and the SouthWestern Power Group (SWPG) since EPG's founding, collaborating with Wray to obtain the permits for his proposed Toltec and Bowie Power Stations, and that Garlyn Bergdale, until recently the President and CEO of EPG, was a member of SWPG in its early days. Tom Wray and SWPG are the principal proponents of SunZia.

February 2016

January 2016

  • SunZia's Last Regulatory Hurdle - after 1pm, Feb 2nd, possibly also 3rd
    see the Facebook Event Page

    The Arizona Corporation Commission will be meeting on Tuesday, February 2 (and 3rd?) to consider granting a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility to the SunZia Transmission Project. This would be the last regulatory hurdle for this ill-conceived, green-washed, mega-transmission line that would open a massive new utility corridor through 30 miles of the San Pedro River.

    There is precedent for the Commission denying a Certificate for such a project. It happened when the public packed the house at their meeting. Please help us do that again for SunZia! The meeting starts sometime after 1pm, February 2, maybe extending to February 3 [SunZia is the last item on the Feb 2 schedule shown here]. Consider keeping your schedule open in order to attend this important meeting at ACC offices, 1200 West Washington, Phoenix, Arizona.

    • From the Sierra Club (Canyon Echoes)

      Help protect wild lands and wildlife by saying NO to the SunZia Transmission Project!
      Grand Canyon Chapter
      "I think this is a perfect example of the effort to find the least worst decision.... The jewel, the San Pedro River Valley, is pristine.... And my heart just breaks that, you know, there’s going to be a transmission line through there." ~Thomas Chenal, Arizona Power and Line Siting Committee


      The rich riparian habitat of the San Pedro River Valley is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife and cultural resources. This area has been the focus of numerous conservation efforts for many decades, all focused on preserving and restoring this truly vital landscape.

      Unfortunately, a proposed transmission project threatens the San Pedro and its unique resources. The SunZia Southwest Transmission Project would march from New Mexico across southern Arizona, straight through the San Pedro Valley. This project would create one of the largest new utility corridors in the western U.S. and could cause irreparable harm to the land and its resources.

      SunZia only has one more step in the process before it can move forward with this damaging line.

      The Arizona Corporation Commission will be considering this issue on February 2 at 10:00 a.m. at the Arizona Corporation Commission office, located at 1200 W. Washington St. in Phoenix (map). Please attend if you can!

      If you cannot attend in person, please send a message to the Commissioners immediately (no later than February 1!).

      Please join us in opposing SunZia! We need to make sure that the Arizona Corporation Commission knows that the people of Arizona do not support this project. We will hand-deliver your message to ensure that it's entered into the docket.

      For more information, contact Sandy Bahr at (602) 253-8633 or sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org.
       
      Donate now!Please Support Our Work!

      Please consider donating today to support our conservation efforts. Your dollars stay here in Arizona to support our work to protect Arizona's wild lands, wildlife, people, and places. Thank you so much for your support!


    Meanwhile, people can write directly to the Commissioners about the project. The docket number to reference is L-00000YY-15-0318-00171. Email addresses are as follows:

    • Bob Burns    RBurns-web@azcc.gov
    • Tom Forese    Forese-web@azcc.gov
    • Doug Little, Acting Chairman,    Little-web@azcc.gov
    • Bob Stump    Stump-web@azcc.gov
    • Andy Tobin    Tobin-web@azcc.gov

    The mailing address for all commissioners is as follows:
    Arizona Corporation Commission
    Commissioners Wing
    1200 W. Washington - 2nd Floor
    Phoenix, Arizona 85007


  • Critics: Power lines imperil Lower San Pedro



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