Arizona Corporation Commission and Public Health Part VI: ACC Blows Huge Loophole in Utility Environmental Review Requirements
Last week the Arizona Corporation Commission exempted a 200-megawatt power plant expansion in Mohave County from environmental review. The exemption, granted to UniSource Energy Services (associated with Tucson Electric Power), allows the company to avoid the usual environmental scrutiny.
How did they do it? They split their 200MW project into four 50-megawatt units. The Commission bought their argument that, because each individual building (on the same parcel) is less than the 100-megawatt threshold, they don’t have to go through the normally required environmental review.
Their clever maneuver not only bypasses essential environmental regulations but also sets a potentially troubling precedent for future power projects.
Utilities are now invited to design projects in smaller segments to stay under the regulatory radar and avoid environmental reviews, posing a risk to both the environment and public health.
This decision reinforces how important it is to elect Commissioners with a commitment to public health and the environment. More to come in our series highlighting the links between who you vote for in the Corporation Commission races and public health.
The Arizona Corporation Commission & Public Health: Part IV – Air Quality
The Arizona Corporation Commission & Public Health: Part V: ACC Election Important for Public Health