By Kendrick Wilson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday Feb. 7, 2002
On Jan. 30, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) voted unanimously to stop plans for a new power plant just six miles from the new Ironwoods National Monument just northwest of Tucson. The natural gas plant's critics, including environmentalists and nearby residents, claimed it would have harmed wildlife and air quality and would have damaged scenic views in the area. Brian Segee, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity said it "was literally won by residents devoting a year of their lives to fight this fight." Heather Murphy, a spokeswoman for the ACC, said the commission was concerned mainly about the plant's proximity to the Ironwoods National Park and Picacho Peak but was also concerned about the impact of groundwater use on subsidence.
The proposed plant's proximity to the Ironwoods National Monument was one of the most important aspects of the issue. The endangered ironwood tree's one sanctuary lies only several miles northwest of Tucson. Created as one of President Clinton's last National Monument declarations, the ironwood tree stood to become extinct unless it was protected from developers.
Though there is no proof that the ironwood trees would be seriously affected by a nearby power plant, the risk of damaging this rare species should not be taken. The potential for tourism dollars related to Ironwoods National Monument nearly surpasses potential revenues from energy sales to California.
ACC's decision was appropriate and showed that the commission can differentiate between necessary power plants and those that unnecessarily threaten our environment. While no state has enough power to feel safe from the threat of blackouts, Arizona is not in as much danger, as the scare tactics of power-plant builders would have one believe.
The issue of groundwater depletion is serious and has received far too little attention from the press and the plant's critics alike. Subsidence is a serious issue for the Tucson area, as our city's wells have been over-drafted for many years. As groundwater is extracted at rates faster than rainwater can percolate through the soil, the ground sinks and large sinkholes arrive. Property damage has been reported in the Tucson area under the central well-field, where water has been extracted for city customers. The residents near the proposed power plant would be wise to raise the issue of possible property damage as a result of subsidence.
Other than a lower quality of water and lack of availability, I have yet to hear serious arguments against using Central Arizona Project (CAP) water for new power plants. While the Tucson Water Department is currently asking residential customers to accept a blend of groundwater and CAP water, power plants and mines for the most part are not being required to make such a sacrifice. New power plants must be forced to depend less on groundwater.
New power plants are inevitable if Arizona is to serve its growing population. Nonetheless, the number of new power plants proposed is far above the amount necessary to serve even the largest population projections in an unseasonably hot summer. Arizona should not sacrifice its air and water quality or its scenic beauty in order to fuel California's increasing demand for electricity. The ACC seems to understand the problems of selling out our state to California. New power plants must be built if Arizona is to continue to grow, but they must be built selectively. Environmental impact must be minimized, and the ACC's actions are encouraging that perhaps the carte blanche attitude of former commissioners could be a thing of the past.
Segee is right; the residents living near the plant are the ones who made the difference in stopping it. Few Tucsonans were even aware of plans to build a power plant near the Ironwoods National Monument. Perhaps some would have taken action had the issue been better publicized, but in this case, the neighborhood won anyway. All Tucsonans would, however, be wise to take more of an interest in new power plants. Their effect on air and water quality is immense, and there are still those in our state government who hope to sell out to California. It is often difficult for these issues to keep from becoming "not-in-my-backyard" issues, but Arizonans must look at this issue from many angles. When plans exist to build a power plant in a scenic, ecologically sensitive location, people throughout the state, not just those living nearby, should be calling for them to be stopped.
