Tempe plans to reopen long dormant water reclamation plant amid grinding drought
PHOENIX – Tempe plans to use $60 million to reopen the Kyrene Water Reclamation Facility which closed in the aftermath of the Great Recession. The plant will help Tempe collect and recycle water as Arizona struggles with its worst drought in 1,200 years.
‘Good Samaritan’ bill aims to allow cleanup of abandoned, leaking mines
WASHINGTON - Arizona officials have high hopes for a proposed "good Samaritan" law that could help clean up some of the tens of thousands of leaking, abandoned mines in the state by removing legal liability for those who take on the job of mine remediation.
Gallego touts local efforts in Phoenix to battle climate change
WASHINGTON - Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego touted the city Thursday as a model for enduring extreme weather events, during a virtual panel on how local governments can help defend against the impacts of climate change.
Ghost in the machine? These rental cars are driven by remote control
LOS ANGELES – Anyone who sees this electric rental car whiz by might think it’s yet another self-driving test car. After all, there’s no one behind the wheel. But someone is driving the car – likely from several miles away. That’s what makes this business model stand apart from the many other self-driving vehicle operations.
Romero lauds federal dollars for roads, rail, cites need for PFAS funding
WASHINGTON - Federal funding from the massive Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be "critical" to Tucson's ability to address contamination of the city's water supply by the chemical PFAS, Mayor Regina Romero told a Senate panel Wednesday.
Tribal leaders urge support for bills to protect cultural, sacred sites
WASHINGTON - Tribal leaders urged lawmakers Wednesday to pass a package of bills that would protect cultural and sacred sites by creating a new tribal cultural areas designation and require Native input on any decisions on those lands.
‘It’s getting close’: As the megadrought grinds on, Arizona working to meet water demands
PHOENIX – Recent NASA images of Lake Powell and Lake Mead put Arizona’s water crisis into perspective. Experts are sounding the alarm and Arizona cities and entities are instituting conservation plans, but the future of Arizona water remains uncertain.
Slither and bound: Rattlesnakes and toads get busy during monsoon season
SCOTTSDALE – The summer Arizona monsoon doesn’t just bring dramatic storms, it’s a signal for such desert animals as rattlesnakes and toads to reproduce.
Angry at other states, Arizona towns, tribes rethink planned water cuts
WASHINGTON - Faced with deep cuts to the water supply, and angry that other states are not doing their share, tribes and local governments in Arizona are increasingly talking about backing off earlier offers to give up some water.
Climate tool brings the bad news; advocates hope that brings good outcomes
WASHINGTON - A new online dashboard that aims to give state and local governments the real-time information they need to fight climate change paints a bleak picture for Arizona's future, calling for more heat, more drought and more wildfires.
Vegan handbags made of pineapple, cactus and cork could help save the planet
LOS ANGELES – Some designers are becoming more sustainable by replacing traditional leather with such materials as pineapple, cactus and cork. They look great and are better for the environment.
Federal funds for water projects a fraction of what Arizona says it needs
WASHINGTON - Arizona will get $109.5 million in federal funding this year to improve water systems in the state - a fraction of the $1.4 billion list of needs state officials say they have. And one official said "the needs are growing" for water projects around the state.
