By Phil Riske | Managing Editor Rose Law Group Reporter
Acting as a committee, the Senate on Thursday resolved to oppose the federal government’s plan to reduce haze in national parks and wilderness areas.
The measure, SCR 1012, is merely a “postcard” to Congress expressing opposition to the Clean Air Act’s provisions requiring utilities to retrofit the best available technology to eliminate or reduce the impact of pollutants in 12 areas in Arizona affected by the regulations.
The resolution sponsor, Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, said the federal haze standards could result in a 17 percent increase in consumer’s utility bills.
The EPA last year approved limits on sulfur dioxide and particulate matter to control emissions from eight units at the Apache Generating Station, Cholla Power Plant and Coronado Generating Station.
The agency, however, turned down the state’s proposal for controlling nitrogen oxides at the power plants and came up with its own proposal to limit those emissions.
A lawsuit brought by the Attorney General’s Office alleges the EPA overstepped the bounds of the Clean Air Act.
Sen. Ed Ableser, D-Tempe, said the state’s ability to regulate haze is “fantasy land.”
“We’ve been unable to fix it ,” Ableser said, adding the state should welcome help from the EPA.. His amendment to include “public health” as an element in the resolution was defeated ,as Griffin said the legislation only deals with other impacts of haze.
“This is one of the most serious issues facing the state,” Griffin said.
The resolution still needs a roll call vote before it goes to the House.
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