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| Political Action |
March 24, 2000, Legislative Update #11"You can't be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet." &endash; Hal Borland That is, unless you're an Arizona legislator and then it seems all nature is suspect. The march to the end of the session continues and the only really good news this week is it looks like they will end this session soon. When all is said and done, they will have done this session it looks like they will have done little, if anything, to improve environmental protection or preservation, and will have continued to whittle away at many of our environmental laws. SCR1006: wildlife conservation management, which requires a 2/3 vote on any initiative that permits, limits, or prohibits the take of wildlife, is still lurking about. There are more rumors flying, more threats, and more deal making. Please continue to keep up the pressure on this one. Those senators still on the fence or who could use some shoring up include Aguirre, Bee, Bundgaard, Day, Jackson, Petersen, Smith, and Soltero. On a related matter, please call your senator and ask her/him to oppose the confirmation of William Berlat to the Game and Fish Commission. Mr. Berlat has shown nothing but antagonism for wildlife since he has been on the commission and has been openly hostile to many folks who have come to the commission to ask for better management of wildlife. The governor can find a more qualified candidate for this position, someone who can conduct herself/himself in a professional manner and look out for the interests of all of Arizona's wildlife. Please call house members today and ask them to oppose HB2610 water quality; maximum daily loads. It requires the Department of Environmental Quality to jump through additional hoops in order to establish total maximum daily loads (TMDL's) for various chemicals in our state's surface waters. The federal Clean Water Act requires that states establish a list of impaired waters for which they must do a TMDL analysis. This bill is inconsistent with the Clean Water Act and the associated rules and will result in a slower process to establish these numbers. It sets up a 15-year schedule for establishing these TMDL's when many of Arizona's water bodies have already been awaiting action for more than ten years. A slower process and a longer schedule means more of Arizona's water will remain polluted for a longer period of time. SB1283 department of environmental quality; continuation was amended to continue the department only through 2002 and adds some ridiculous performance measures including requiring the department to increase the number of general permits under the aquifer protection permit program (that means fewer requirements and weaker permits). It says they have to renew all of the permits for crushing and screening facilities as well as dry cleaners and provide more general permits for gas stations and asphalt plants. If this amendment stays, we cannot support the bill. Please call House members and ask them to oppose this bill if it includes this amendment (or any others) and to ask them to only support a "clean" reauthorization of the department. There is still time to call House members and ask them to oppose SB1431 newsprint recycling. It lowers standards for recycled content in newspaper print. Over the past decade newspapers have been forced by statute to increase the amount of recycled materials used. This bill would allow the current minimum amount of recycled materials, 50 percent, to be reduced to 40 percent. Lowering this standard would further weaken an already poor statute that allows buyers to deviate from recycled materials if virgin materials are cheaper. We continue to watch SCR1021, a bill which asks voters to fund the Heritage Fund through the sales tax rather than the lottery. The way the bill is written, the dollars would automatically go to state parks and to game and fish and would not be subject to legislative appropriation (a key provision). This is a more stable funding source than the lottery (currently lottery revenues are down and the Heritage Fund is not getting its full allocation). This has not gone through the Committee of the Whole (C.O.W.) in the House. HB2179 pesticides; conditional registration was signed into law by the Governor. (She never met a bad idea that she didn't like.) Governor Hull also signed HB2559 outdoor advertising violation; enforcement, the bill which allows illegal billboards to stay in place. She really seems intent on punishing Tucson and Pima County. SB1508 nonnavigable streams; disclaimer of title passed the House and has gone to governor. It is unlikely that she will veto this as she has not vetoed any of the other streambed bills and in fact has not vetoed any of the bad environmental bills. Remember this is the annual "give away the streambeds bill." It disclaims title to the Big Sandy, Santa Maria, and Virgin Rivers, plus Burro Creek. The State has a public trust responsibility for our streambeds which they are abdicating in this bill. And for just a tiny bit of good news, HCM2005 pesticide tolerances failed in the Senate 14-16. This was a silly message to congress asking that they weaken pesticide protections. We appreciate all of your efforts to help encourage legislators to do the right thing. It is not always readily apparent, but your calls and emails do make a difference. Thank you! For more information go to the web page http://www.azleg.state.az.us. If you're outside the Phoenix area, you can call your legislator's office toll free at 1-800-352-8404. In the Phoenix area call (602) 542-3559 (Senate) or (602) 542-4221 (House). Correspondence goes to 1700 W. Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2890. To email legislators use first initial + 7 letters of surname@azleg.state.az.us Page updated: 3/24/0 Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter, 202 E. McDowell Rd, Suite 277, Phoenix, AZ 85004, (602) 253-8633 > |