An Arizona utility is seeking to build natural gas turbines without having to jump through typical bureaucratic hoops for environmental approval. Critics say the request – if granted – would set a bad precedent in Arizona. The utility still has time to appeal the decision to the more powerful Arizona Corporation Commission.

A recent report from the American Lung Association shows Arizona has some of the worst air quality in the nation. Four counties, Gila, Maricopa, Pima and Pinal, were given an “F” for having some of the highest numbers of ozone days. Maricopa and Pinal counties were also given a failing grade for having high partial particle pollution.

Unisource Electric (UNSE) is planning a 200 MW gas power plant expansion of Black Mountain Generating Station located in Mohave County. UNSE is arguing that Arizona law should be reinterpreted to exempt their project from review because the individual turbines are less than 100 MW.

Even without the visual of a hundred retirees wearing custom neon yellow shirts, it’s clear the neighbors are upset. The atmosphere in the meeting room at the Los Lagos Golf Course — itself a splash of green on the windswept brown landscape of Arizona’s Mojave Desert — is as tense as a coiled spring when[...]

The Arizona Corporation Commission has until April 15 to respond to a motion filed by Arizona’s Attorney General demanding reconsideration of a recent order that discriminates against rooftop solar owners, allowing Arizona Public Service to charge them extra fees that don’t apply to other customers. Time left for ACC to fix unfair solar charge On Feb. 22,[...]