I want to thank everyone who took a stand against TEP's proposed RICE gas-fired generators. You were amazing! Sustainable Tucson's advocacy group is awaiting responses from the Pima Department of Environmental Quality regarding our individual comments. I'm afraid this is just the beginning.... Meanwhile, I would like to share the letter I just e-mailed to Mayor Rothschild and the Tucson City Council members detailing some of our efforts and asking for them to join the good fight. I hope this inspires you to write a letter to your council member (maybe not so long...lol)
Dear City Council Member_____,
The city council
committed to support the Paris Climate Agreement and take steps to combat
climate change. But it will take a more proactive approach than adding some
solar panels on city property or installing a few water recharge basins.
With some strong leadership, Tucson could become a model for sustainable
practices. An oasis in the desert. A destination for ecological tourism. But
none of this will be possible if we continue to accelerate climate change by
allowing TEP to install 10 gas-fired RICE generators, encouraging our car
culture by widening roads, and approving perpetual development (beyond what our
annual rains can sustain.)
First things first. As you know, TEP is proposing modernizing the Sundt
Generating Station by replacing two 1950's era steam units with ten natural gas
fired combustion engines. The purpose of the new generators is to ramp up more
quickly and to balance the variability associated with solar and wind energy
generation. TEP claims that these units are part of a larger goal for 30%
renewable energy by 2030. But gas fired engines should not be equated with
clean, renewable power from wind and solar. The RICE units are fossil-fuel
based generating units that would create significant greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality, the project
expects to cause an increase in emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate
matter (fine particles PM2.5 and coarse particles PM10)
and volatile organic compounds.
As a member of Sustainable Tucson, I am concerned about TEP’s unambitious goal
of transitioning to 30% clean energy by 2030. The negative impacts of climate
change are progressing much faster than that – even faster than scientists
first predicted. We are already witnessing its devastating effects. If TEP is truly dedicated to transitioning to
clean energy, why would they be installing 10 new pollution spewing gas-fired
generators that last 30 years?
Members of Sustainable Tucson’s Advocacy team have been actively fighting the
permit process for installation. First, we submitted comments to the
Corporation Commission. I wrote the following comment:
In Commissioner Tobin’s Arizona’s Energy
Modernization Plan, he outlined steps for Affordability and Reliability. The
first recommendation is “Thoughtful planning so the transition to clean energy
is gradual and considers the useful life of existing facilities while not
locking into new non-clean energy investments that may be stranded in the near
future.” Aren’t the RICE Generators locking us into non-clean energy
investments that may be stranded in the future?
My engineer husband, Dan Stormont, and I have been following the rapid
innovations happening in solar storage and believe that they will be an
economically feasible option in the near future. Battery storage has already
resulted in the cancellation of proposed gas peaker plants in California.
Regulators there are even requiring utilities to open competitive solicitations
for solar + battery storage that are likely to supplant three existing gas
peaker plants.
Our team celebrated when the Arizona Corporation Commission refused to consider
Tucson Electric Power’s Integrated Resource Plan – indicating that it would
issue a moratorium on new natural gas-fired energy production projects. But we
were appalled to learn that the ACC approved TEP’s underhanded plan to meet the
imposed moratorium (not to exceed 175 megawatts) by phasing the construction
into two 100 megawatt installations. There appears to be some shady dealings
going on here. (This should not be a big surprise since some commissioners were
under investigation for accepting dark money campaign donations.)
Our team's next step was contacting a member of the Board of Supervisors. When
asked what he could do to deny TEP’s permit for the RICE generators, the supervisor claimed that their hands were tied - that it’s up to the EPA to set
the laws about climate change. But, really, what are the chances of that
happening with climate change denier Scott Pruitt at the helm of the EPA?
Our team met with a similar challenge when we submitted comments to the Pima
County Department of Environmental Quality on how TEP’s permit doesn't meet the
criteria for issuance prescribed in the Pima County Code. We couldn’t even
argue that TEP didn’t meet the standards for carbon dioxide emissions since
there was nothing in Pima’s code regarding carbon dioxide emissions. EPA
Administrator Scott Pruitt had delayed implementing the Clean Power Plan which
places first-ever limits on the huge quantities of carbon pollution emitted by
our country’s electric power plants.
Three of our members spoke up at the public hearing held by the zoning
examiner. We asked that the City of Tucson deny TEP’s request for a special
zoning designation (Planned Area Development – “PAD”) because TEP’s request for
rezoning contradicts Plan Tucson’s call for: (a) Increased renewable energy
sources; (b) Recruiting, retaining and expanding Tucson’s key economic sectors
in renewable energy; c) Increasing or promoting environmentally sensitive
industry; and (d) “. . .[N]o compromise on principles of equity, fairness,
justice, prosperity, livability, and environmental integrity.”
The Tucson zoning official explained that Plan Tucson’s provisions are not
grounds to deny the TEP’s zoning request. He approved the zoning permit
claiming it didn’t break any zoning codes. But when those zoning codes were
written, we weren’t staring in the face of climate change!
Sustainable Tucson's
advocacy team has done everything we can think of to stop the installation of
TEP’s dirty generators. But we’ve been stopped by unethical roadblocks from the
EPA. Now we need your help. It is
time for bold action - to think outside of the box. It’s time to create new
codes and ordinances that protect Tucson
from the devastation of climate change and delay any permits until those codes
and ordinances are put into effect.
The Tucson City Council committed to support the Paris Climate Agreement and
take vital steps to combat climate change. It’s time to ask yourself some hard
questions. Was that pledge just words or are you committed to doing everything
you can to combat climate change to protect our children and the future of
Tucson? If the answer to that question is yes, you need to ask yourself one
more question, “Am I doing everything I can?”
Sustainable Tucson is
here to support your efforts to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement and protect
our beloved town. Feel free to contact me if there is anything we can do to
help.
Sincerely,
Jana Segal
Sustainable Tucson Environmental Advocacy Group
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| Keep up the good fight! |
