Heads up for a bunch of veto requests coming next week and throughout the rest of April. There are numerous bills that have passed out of one house or the other along party lines and that are likely to get voted out and land on the Governor's desk. They include bills to weaken the limited groundwater protection we have, bills to give giant gifts to electric utilities and keep coal plants running longer -- or require coal to be replaced by gas, and numerous bills to make voting more difficult or to limit citizen ballot measures.
The Sierra Club has provided handy forms you can fill out to urge your legislators to vote against a bill coming up for a vote. When using these forms, please edit the pre-filled text to reflect your own viewpoint. The following bills are all coming up for floor votes this week.
There are also two harmful transportation bills that are making their way through the Arizona Legislature. SB1086 and SB1092 have already passed out of the Senate along party lines and are about to go to a vote in the House. Please take action and let your representatives know you oppose both bills.
SB1086 transportation system performance; ADOT prohibits the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) from considering or adopting a motor vehicle travel mile reduction target or any other demand management policy or project to reduce traffic. SB1086 limits ADOT's authority to consider integration of roads and vehicles with other forms of transportation, including rail, transit, bicycles, and pedestrians. It states that ADOT must weight ridership on each route for transit so it is no lower than 70 percent of the system average, which could force cities to significantly reduce the number of transit routes. SB1086 is short-sighted and harmful and should be rejected.
SB1538 corporation commission; non-thermal generating unit (Carroll: Gowan, Shamp, et al) is teed up to come to a vote in the House as well. It requires wind and solar to undergo additional reviews and changes the trigger for the need to get a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) from 100 to 200 megawatts (MW). With the 200 MW trigger, most gas plants would no longer need a CEC, allowing for siting of polluting power plants right next to communities without any opportunity for further analysis or for the community to seek conditions to limit the impact.
There are also two harmful transportation bills that are making their way through the Arizona Legislature. SB1086 and SB1092 have already passed out of the Senate along party lines and are about to go to a vote in the House. Please take action and let your representatives know you oppose both bills.
SB1086 transportation system performance; ADOT prohibits the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) from considering or adopting a motor vehicle travel mile reduction target or any other demand management policy or project to reduce traffic. SB1086 limits ADOT's authority to consider integration of roads and vehicles with other forms of transportation, including rail, transit, bicycles, and pedestrians. It states that ADOT must weight ridership on each route for transit so it is no lower than 70 percent of the system average, which could force cities to significantly reduce the number of transit routes. SB1086 is short-sighted and harmful and should be rejected.
SB1092 vehicle mileage; tracking; tax; prohibitions prohibits limits on vehicle miles traveled or any travel reduction program, contrary to air quality requirements. It also prohibits any kind of fee based on vehicle miles traveled, which has been considered as an alternative to gas taxes. Reducing traffic and also integrating planning for roads with accommodating pedestrians and bikes would make our streets safer and could help reduce the high pedestrian death rates in cities like Phoenix and Tucson.
Help Stop Harmful Transportation Bills!SB1538 corporation commission; non-thermal generating unit (Carroll: Gowan, Shamp, et al) is teed up to come to a vote in the House as well. It requires wind and solar to undergo additional reviews and changes the trigger for the need to get a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) from 100 to 200 megawatts (MW). With the 200 MW trigger, most gas plants would no longer need a CEC, allowing for siting of polluting power plants right next to communities without any opportunity for further analysis or for the community to seek conditions to limit the impact.
Stop polluting power plants: Ask your Representatives to Vote No on SB1538!
Help Limit Groundwater Pumping in Arizona!
Arizona’s Groundwater Management Act put in place strong protections by establishing Active Management Areas (AMAs) and Irrigation Non-expansion Areas (INA's)
Help Limit Groundwater Pumping in Arizona!
Arizona’s Groundwater Management Act put in place strong protections by establishing Active Management Areas (AMAs) and Irrigation Non-expansion Areas (INA's)
Unfortunately, groundwater pumping in areas outside of AMAs and INAs was largely left unregulated. This has allowed massive agricultural and sometimes industrial entities to move in and further deplete precious water resources, contributing to land subsidence (especially in Wilcox), earth fissures, and ever lower groundwater levels that contribute to wells drying up.
SB1520 Now: Rural Water (Dunn) adds a new third kind of management area that is weaker than the two existing areas. An area designated as a Basin Management Area (BMA) can NEVER be converted to an AMA or IMA in the future. The bill will repeal the already established Wilcox Active Management Area which is the strongest groundwater protection you can have and make it a Basin Management Area.
SB1520 Now: Rural Water (Dunn) adds a new third kind of management area that is weaker than the two existing areas. An area designated as a Basin Management Area (BMA) can NEVER be converted to an AMA or IMA in the future. The bill will repeal the already established Wilcox Active Management Area which is the strongest groundwater protection you can have and make it a Basin Management Area.
Take Action to Protect Rural Water: Tell Your Representatives to Oppose SB1520.
NOTE: The Sierra Club form goes to your Representatives. We suggest that you use their form but edit it to reflect the critical points above.
I took action. Thanks for the info to do so.
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! Thanks for taking action.
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