Category Archives: Phoenix

ADEQ holding a meeting to discuss changes to swimming pool rules

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) invites stakeholders to attend a stakeholder meeting to discuss proposed changes to swimming pool rules, promulgated in 1998, which are woefully out of date.

ADEQ is required by A.R.S. § 49-104(B)(12) to have rules that prescribe minimum design standards and sanitary conditions at any public or semi-public swimming pool or bathing place. ADEQ proposes to update these standards by referencing a national standard or model code for all public and semi-public swimming pools.

Attend the meeting in person or via conference call.

View meeting details and agenda >

In person:

When:  Mon., April 17, 2017, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where: ADEQ, 1110 W. Washington St., First Floor, Room 145, Phoenix, AZ, 85007
Directions to ADEQ >
Parking at ADEQ >

Omnibus Bill SB 1183 Passes, Eliminating and Reducing Unnecessary Regulatory Burden

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PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials today thank Governor Doug Ducey for signing SB 1183 into law. Sponsored by Senator Griffin, the legislation will reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens, while continuing to promote environmentally responsible economic growth.

In response to Governor Ducey’s Executive Order 2015-01, SB 1183 is the next step of ADEQ’s comprehensive evaluation of existing statute and rule to identify and remove, simplify or correct duplicative, contradictory and ambiguous regulatory hurdles. SB 1183 successfully streamlines five statutes, and will also result in the amendment or termination of eight sections of rule from the Arizona Administrative Code, offering tangible benefits to Arizona taxpayers and industry.

Senator Gail Griffin, R-14 Senate Majority Whip, said today, “I am glad to stand with Governor Ducey and sponsor legislation to update and repeal unnecessary and outdated regulations that burden our economy.”

“As we continue to eliminate waste in our processes through our ongoing LEAN transformation, we increase our capacity to do more mission-critical work,” said Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Director Misael Cabrera. “Cutting this waste from our regulations is another step toward more effective government that operates at the speed of business.”

SB 1183 highlights:

  • Septage Hauler – Removes redundant regulatory and fiscal burdens from regulated septage haulers by providing ADEQ the authority to eliminate, in rule, duplicative state and county licensing and inspection fees. (ARS §49-104)
  • Dry Well Driller Licensing – Eliminates redundant regulatory oversite from ADEQ for licensure already administered by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. (ARS §49-333)
  • ADEQ Recycling Emblem – Eliminates statutory requirements for rules regarding establishment and use of a state recycling emblem. (ARS §49-833, R18-13-2501)
  • State-owned Hazardous Waste Facilities – Eliminates a duplicative hazardous waste transportation requirement that is already administered under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Department of Transportation. (ARS §49-905)
  • Toxic Substances List – Removes an outdated and contradictory provision related to the federal Toxic Substances List. (ARS §49-968)

2017 Outdoor Expo one for record books

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PHOENIX — For the second straight year, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo – the state’s largest free outdoor expo – has set an all-time attendance record.

The event, presented by Shikar Safari Club International, drew 46,600 visitors over the March 25-26 weekend at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. That shattered the previous two-day weekend record of 41,100, set in 2016.

A “Youth Day” experience also was offered March 24 that attracted 1,800 students, teachers and chaperones, bringing this year’s three-day total to a record 48,400. The previous record was 48,000 in 2015.

“We’re not aware of any other event of this scale that combines conservation, recreation and industry into such a welcoming environment for the public,” said Scott Lavin, the department’s wildlife recreation branch chief. “This is where people can find plenty of hands-on activities, test and purchase the latest equipment and products, and connect with social organizations that can provide countless ‘next step’ experiences to support their outdoor passions.”

The expo features everything from wildlife exhibits and family fishing tanks, to kayaking at the 90,000-gallon “Lake Paddlemore” and trying out firearms in a safe, controlled environment on the range. There also are many opportunities for visitors to check out more than 150 exhibitors, including sportsmen and conservation organizations, recreational shooting groups, government agencies and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services.

Since 2007, the expo traditionally has been scheduled for the last weekend in March (but not to conflict with Easter weekend). This year marked the 10th anniversary of the “Outdoor Expo.” The event previously was known as the “Hunting and Shooting Showcase” from 2004 to 2006.

For the third straight year, Shikar Safari Club International was the presenting sponsor. Gold sponsors were OneAZ Credit Union and Shooter’s World/Daniel Defense. Silver sponsors were Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, Sportsman’s Warehouse, FN America, Cabela’s and Target Factory. Bronze sponsors were the Mule Deer Foundation and Lincoln Property Company.

“We are grateful to our sponsors and 155 exhibitors who support this event and provide us with an opportunity to introduce ourselves as a department and share our mission with the public at no charge,” Lavin said.

Next year’s expo is scheduled for March 24-25, 2018, at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. Visit www.azgfd.gov/expo for more information.

“Shot Heard ‘Round the World Day” is April 19

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PHOENIX — The world-class Ben Avery Shooting Facility will be the place to be Wednesday, April 19, a day when recreational shooters can join together to symbolize the first shot fired in 1775 to mark the beginning of the American Revolution, while enjoying a fun shooting event.

It will be 242 years to the day when the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” was fired in the pre-dawn light in Lexington, Mass., between the colonial militia and British army, regarded as the start of the American Revolutionary War.

The inaugural event, being promoted at public shooting ranges across the nation, also will provide an opportunity to increase participation and boost the economic benefits that shooting sports provide. As recreational shooters check in and visit BASF’s small bore range from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., they will be connected to recreational shooting mentor groups and shooting industry manufacturers and retailers inside the nearby indoor air gun and archery building.

Whether or not a recreational shooter actively participates in hunting or angling, he or she contributes to the main source of funding for state wildlife conservation efforts through an excise tax placed on the purchase of shooting sports equipment and ammunition, as legislated by the Pittman-Robertson Act. Those funds also are spent on shooting sports projects, including the building of shooting ranges, and programs.

For more information about “Shot Heard ‘Round the World Day,” visit www.shotheardroundtheworldday.com.

For more information about the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, visit https://www.azgfd.com/Shooting/BASF/.

ADOT crews now can clear travel lanes of minor wrecks

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PHOENIX – With a goal of keeping drivers and first responders safe and traffic flowing, Arizona Department of Transportation personnel are now authorized to clear or order removal of vehicles that are involved in minor crashes.

When incidents occur, ADOT coordinates with Arizona State Troopers to set up traffic control, close highways and, when necessary, arrange hazardous materials cleanup. When ADOT personnel arrive before State Troopers at the scene of a minor crash or when State Troopers ask them to do so, a new agency policy empowers them to take action to clear travel lanes.

“Quickly clearing hazards is a proven way to make everyone safer, including State Troopers, ADOT personnel and others responding,” said Brent Cain, ADOT’s director of Transportation Systems Management & Operations. “Having ADOT’s highly trained crews take action when appropriate to keep traffic moving promotes safety and reduces congestion.”

The change stems from best practices in Traffic Incident Management (TIM) strategies, including the principle of Quick Clearance.

Getting vehicles that are involved in minor crashes out of travel lanes quickly makes the roadway safer for other vehicles and emergency responders, reduces the chance of secondary crashes when traffic approaches the incident and minimizes overall traffic congestion.

State law requires drivers involved in minor crashes that don’t involve injuries to get their vehicles out of travel lanes as soon as it’s safe to do so.

State Troopers must authorize removal of vehicles involved in crashes that result in serious injuries or deaths.

Expect road work for the next four weeks on Interstate 17 between New River and Sunset Point

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Crews have completed the initial paving on Interstate 17 between New River and Sunset Point as part of a $10.8 million pavement project that began last summer. However, crews will be on site over the next four weeks as they work on sign and guardrail installations, delineators and other miscellaneous work.

Work is scheduled to occur Sunday through Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Drivers should anticipate north and southbound lane restrictions during work hours.

The project is scheduled to be completed by summer 2017.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Mexican wolf captured in Chiricahua area of Arizona

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PHOENIX — A female Mexican wolf originating from an ongoing reintroduction effort in Mexico was captured March 26 on private ranch land in southeastern Arizona by the Interagency Field Team (IFT) and relocated to the Sevilleta Wolf Management Facility in New Mexico, where it is in good health. Management agencies in the United States and Mexico will determine the most appropriate long-term management action for this wolf.

The wolf was first sighted in the United States on March 19 by an Arizona Game and Fish Department wildlife manager and again on March 22 by ranch employees. In the latter instance, the wolf exhibited minor problem behavior by not retreating after the reporting party tried to haze it out of the area. The wolf is believed to have been traveling alone, as there have been no other wolf sightings in the area.

The wolf was initially described as wearing a GPS radio collar, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department conducted an aerial telemetry flight on March 22 to detect any signal emanating from the collar; however, no signal was detected, and the collar was later found to be non-functional.

The wolf (f1530) was born in 2016 at a captive wolf breeding facility in Cananea, Mexico, and released in October 2016 in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, approximately 90 miles from the international border. The last collar radio transmission was Feb. 14, 2017, from 21 miles south of the international border with New Mexico.

Some area ranchers reported possible livestock depredations in the area. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services investigated eight livestock carcasses between March 22 and 27, to determine the cause of deaths. The results of the investigation confirmed that one was killed by a wolf, four died of natural causes, two died of unknown causes, and one was unable to be investigated because of its deteriorated condition.

Ranchers who experience confirmed wolf depredations can apply for compensation through the Arizona Livestock Loss Board. Additionally, area ranchers can receive funding to implement actions to minimize wolf-livestock interaction through Defenders of Wildlife and the Mexican Wolf Fund.

“We were decisive in our management actions because this wolf was young, alone, genetically important, and not affiliated with another pack,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southwest Regional Director Benjamin Tuggle. “Future management actions may differ based on the circumstances of each scenario.”

The area where this wolf was captured is within the federal Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA) in the United States. This designation was revised in 2015 and provides flexibility for managing Mexican wolves as part of an experimental population. Prior to 2015, the MWEPA extended from Interstate 40 south to Interstate 10 in Arizona and New Mexico. The 2015 revision extended the southern boundary to the United States/Mexico border to provide more management flexibility in this area.

The Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Mexican government, and the states of New Mexico, Colorado and Utah, are reviewing biological information for the development of a revised Mexican wolf recovery plan. That review focuses on recovery south of Interstate 40 and into Mexico with the expectation that populations in the two countries will be connected.

Mexico has been a partner in the recovery of the Mexican wolf since the two countries established a binational captive breeding program in the 1970s to halt the extinction of the Mexican wolf. The Mexican government began re-establishing Mexican wolves back into the wild in 2011, following their elimination from the wild in Mexico in the 1980s.

The Mexican wolf recovery program is a partnership between the Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, White Mountain Apache Tribe, USDA Forest Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services, and several participating counties. The Interagency Field Team (IFT) is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Mexican wolf population and includes field personnel from several of the partner agencies.

For more information on the Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Program, visit
www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf or www.azgfd.gov/wolf.

Popular live-streaming peregrine camera goes dark

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s popular live-streaming peregrine camera in downtown Phoenix will unfortunately remain dark this season, after the nesting pair failed to return to the nest this breeding season.

“We have been monitoring the nest for several weeks and neither of the birds have returned, and being that it’s so late in the breeding season, it is very unlikely they will this year,” said Randy Babb, AZGFD Watchable Wildlife program manager. “This is unfortunate, given how the streaming camera resonated with the public, who were given a window into Arizona’s wildlife. Through that window, thousands of people worldwide learned about and began to have an appreciation for downtown Phoenix’s peregrine falcons.”

Last year AZGFD installed a high-definition camera, which became an instant hit with viewers worldwide as the parents cared for four eggs, with only one egg hatching – on Mother’s Day. However, the lone chick eventually fell from the nest and succumbed to internal injuries.

Ahead of this year’s nesting season, AZGFD completed upgrades to the nesting box based on input from the Peregrine Fund and other experts. The box was modified to allow the birds to get into the box more easily, which should help nesting success.

An air conditioning unit was also planned for installation to help keep the box cooler during dangerous triple-digit temperatures. Installation of the AC was generously donated by Forrest Anderson Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. in Phoenix with unit design by Otterbein Engineering. Despite efforts to renovate the box, the pair chose not to return this year.

Peregrine falcons often nest in cliffs, steep canyon walls and in urban locations, such as skyscrapers, water towers or power poles. They have been known to live up to 15 years in the wild and are considered the fastest animal on the planet, capable of reaching speeds in excess of 200 mph.

Peregrine falcons have nested in the downtown Phoenix area for more than a decade and early on, the birds selected the Maricopa County Administration Building as a nesting site. Until this season, birds have used the nesting box since 2014.

It is hoped the birds will return to the nest box next season.

For more information on peregrine falcons, visit www.azgfd.com/peregrine.

MVD expands number of online road test appointments

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PHOENIX – It’s goodbye to guesswork. If you need to take a road test to get your driver license, the number of available online appointments at Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division offices just went up more than 30 percent.

There are now more than 900 daily appointments available statewide every business day at the MVD offices that conduct road tests. Of those, more than 600 are available at locations in metro Phoenix and Tucson – the busiest areas for MVD.

Those numbers represent the full capacity for road testing based on MVD hours of operation and the time it takes to perform a road test, which is typically between 15 and 30 minutes.

“The MVD began offering online appointments for road tests in 2016, and it’s been a tremendous success,” MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said. “One of our goals in 2017 was to fully implement this program so that people who need to take a road test can go to one of our locations with the confidence that they’ll get it done at a time that’s convenient for them. This is all about serving our customers well, making the MVD offices run more efficiently and fulfilling our vision to get people out of line and safely on the road.”

Scheduling an online appointment is as easy as going to servicearizona.com, clicking on the “MVD Office Appointments” button and selecting a time and location for the road test. Not all MVD offices conduct these tests, but locations are well distributed throughout Arizona.

MVD will still serve walk-in customers for road testing based on availability that may be limited due to high demand.

For a map of MVD offices and services provided, please visit azdot.gov/mvd and check for MVD hours and locations.

2017 fall hunt recommendations now posted on AZGFD website

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s 2017 fall hunt recommendations for deer, turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, bison, bear and mountain lion are now available online at www.azgfd.gov/huntguidelines.

A series of six “open houses,” where constituents can review and ask questions about the proposed recommendations, will begin next week at Game and Fish regional offices statewide. No formal presentations are planned.

  • Thursday, March 30: 3-5 p.m., Kingman, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road.
  • Thursday, March 30: 4:30-6:30 p.m., Mesa, 7200 E. University Drive.
  • Friday, March 31: 3-5 p.m., Tucson, 555 N. Greasewood Road.
  • Tuesday, April 4: 3-5 p.m., Pinetop, 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd.
  • Tuesday, April 4: 3-5 p.m., Yuma, 9140 E. 28th St.
  • Wednesday, April 5: 6-8 p.m., Flagstaff, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road.

The department annually makes recommendations to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission regarding the management of game species, which establish the seasons, dates, bag limits, open areas and permit-tag allocations based on the framework of the hunt guidelines set by the commission every two years.

The proposed recommendations will be presented to the commission for consideration during the Saturday, April 8, portion of its April 7-8 meeting at Game and Fish headquarters, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, in Phoenix. The agenda will be posted at https://www.azgfd.com/Agency/Commission.