AZLCV Legislative Platform

During the 2010 Legislative session, lawmakers will have many tough choices to make as they work to balance Arizona’s budget. As they consider these choices, the Arizona League of Conservation Voters will be advocating for cost-cutting conservation measures and investments in sustainable policies that lay the groundwork for a prosperous future in this state. Below, we offer these priorities for the members we represent and the Legislature we will work with to help make some of these tough decisions.

• Clean and Renewable Energy Policy
  
  Arizona’s energy needs have mushroomed in the past decade, and it is crucial that we cut back on our reliance on ever more expensive fossil fuels and supplement our rising power demand with clean and renewable sources of energy.
  
  The League supports:
  § Aggressive implementation of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and clean biomass.
  § Encouraging manufacturers of renewable resource to locate in-state, creating new “green collar” jobs and sustainable economic growth.
  § Encouraging municipal power providers outside of the Arizona Corporation Commission’s jurisdiction to participate in the statewide effort to reduce reliance on non-renewable and environmentally damaging water supplies.
  § Developing state incentives and tax breaks to encourage homeowners and businesses to reduce their current power demands and take advantage of clean energy alternatives.
  
  

• Urban Air Quality
  
  A significant portion of Arizona’s population is based in two main urban centers, and a large percentage of the residents of the state are impacted by poor air quality in the urban setting.
  
  The League supports:
  § Effective enforcement of the Clean Air Act and similar state and federal laws.
  § Encouraging industries such as power plants, refineries and home builders to develop and implement new technologies that minimize harmful emissions.
  § Encouraging the use of renewable energy through incentives such as the Renewable Energy Standard and Tariff and tax credits.
  § Continuation of the state’s successful vehicle emissions program.
  § Promoting simple conservation changes in our daily lives, such as carpooling, using public transportation and driving fuel-efficient cars, and choosing power-efficient home appliances.
  § Promoting efforts that would ensure all Arizonans are able to enjoy a safe and healthy environment, including efforts to address the disparate impact felt by ethnic minority and low-income communities in exposure to hazardous waste and toxic releases.
  
  

• Water Quality and Resource Management
  
  Water is one of Arizona’s most critical resources, and one of its most heavily exploited. The continuing growth of Arizona’s population means that the pressures on our water resources will only increase over time. It is crucial that Arizona develop a long-term vision for water management if we are to continue to grow and prosper.
  
  The League supports:
  § Protecting Arizona’s water quality to ensure that the water supplies we do have won’t be rendered unusable or too costly for communities to treat.
  § Allowing counties and communities outside of Active Management Areas (AMAs) to consider water supply adequacy when reviewing proposed subdivisions and deny or give conditional approval if the supply is inadequate.
  § Requiring counties and communities outside of AMAs to prepare water system plans (communities inside AMAs already must do so).
  § Implementing the management plan developed by the Yuma Desalting Plant/Ciénega de Santa Clara workgroup.
  § Full funding of the Arizona Water Protection Fund (AWPF) to preserve and enhance flows in rivers and streams and their associated riparian habitats.
  § Measures to protect the few remaining intact and functioning riparian, or stream-side, habitats.
  
  

• Growth Management and Land Use
  
  Arizona faces one of our greatest challenges in rapid population growth. This will mean heavy strains on the state’s land, air and water. But, this could also mean great economic opportunity for our state. If we are to succeed in balancing growth with conservation, we must begin planning now.
  
  The League supports:
  § Promoting the development of master-planned communities in order to ensure compliance with minimum open space and environmental protection requirements, and inclusion of mixed use retail and commercial space so that residents can work where they live and reduce commute time.
  § Encouraging close communication with city planning staff and local officials to ensure that new communities can be accommodated by existing or planned infrastructure and transportation systems.
  § Promoting alternate forms of transportation such as public transit and bikeways as well as increased use of pedestrian-friendly spaces.
  § Ensuring that local governments have the ability to control and direct growth in a manner appropriate for a community’s unique circumstances and residents’ values.
  § Focusing on opportunities for infill, redirecting development from the fringes and towards our urban cores to make efficient use of existing infrastructure, provide affordable housing for families, and minimize traffic congestion and transportation costs for Arizona’s workers.
  
  
• Wildlife and Resource Protection
  
  As our open spaces and rural lands become increasingly fragmented or degraded, functioning ecosystems can be damaged, plant and animal species become imperiled, prehistoric and historic sites are lost, and we risk losing an important part of Arizona’s heritage. The Arizona League of Conservation Voters’ membership cares deeply about the unique natural landscapes and wildlife in Arizona.
  
  The League supports:
  § Protection of the Arizona Heritage Fund from funding sweeps intended to raid those dollars for other purposes.
  § Protection of the regulatory and wildlife management powers of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission
  § Wildlife immunity for state agencies, which should not be held liable for actions caused by the natural behavior of our wildlife.
  
  
• Good Government
  
  The Arizona League of Conservation Voters, as a membership supported voter organization, is committed to protecting the ability of citizens to fully participate in the political process and make their voices heard. Therefore, issues that are not necessarily related to conservation are still of interest to our organization. These issues include voting rights, the citizens’ initiative and referendum process, Clean Elections, and other good government measures.
  
  The League supports:
  § Opposition to legislation that would further limit or restrict citizens’ constitutional rights to the initiative and referendum process.
  § Opposition to legislation that would further limit or restrict citizens’ constitutional rights to the initiative and referendum process.
  § Public policy that allows elected officials to address critical needs and respond to changing economic conditions or emergencies, rather than imposing an arbitrary formula chaining government revenues to population growth and inflation rates. 
  § Opposition to other measures that would serve to disenfranchise voters, discourage voter participation or set up unreasonable obstacles to citizens in exercising their right to participate in our democratic government.
  § Reinstating Arizona's citizen suit provisions which allow the public to take action if the state government refuses to enforce our environmental laws.