Category Archives: Phoenix

Respected Access in Arizona fundraiser is October 15

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utvPHOENIX — Tickets are still available for next month’s third annual “Respected Access in Arizona” fundraiser, hosted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Tread Lightly!

A fun-shoot, barbecue dinner, raffles and auction are planned for Oct. 15 at the OneAZ Credit Union Pavilion, located at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. The cost of the fun-shoot (which includes targets and two boxes of ammunition) and barbecue dinner, catered by Bobby Q, is $65. The cost of only the dinner, which includes beverages and a door-prize raffle ticket, is $40.

To purchase tickets for the fundraiser, visit https://www.treadlightly.org/respected-access-in-arizona-fundraiser/.

The highlight of the event will be a raffle for a customized 2016 Polaris Ranger EV, valued at more than $15,000, courtesy of RideNow Powersports. Proceeds from each $20 raffle ticket sold through Oct. 15 will benefit Tread Lightly!’s “Respected Access in Arizona” campaign, which aims to protect public access for off-highway vehicle use, recreational shooting and other outdoor pursuits through ethics education and stewardship programs.

Visit https://go.rallyup.com/3628f0/Campaign to purchase raffle tickets. For complete rules, visit www.respectedaccessarizona.org. The raffle only is available to Arizona residents.

For more information about the fundraiser, call (800) 966-9900, Ext. 14, or e-mail respectedaccess@treadlightly.org. For more information about the “Respected Access in Arizona” campaign, visit www.respectedaccessarizona.org.

Governor’s Regulatory Review Council Allows Obsolete Rules to Expire

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Effective September 15, 2016, the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council allowed six Waste Program rules and one Air Quality rule ADEQ identified as obsolete to expire per ARS § 41-1056(J). The list of expired rules follows:

  • R18-2-306.02 (Establishment of an Emissions Cap)
  • R18-8-201 (Hazardous Waste Fees for Fiscal Year 2011)
  • R18-12-802 (Transition)
  • R18-13-902 (Regional Boundaries)
  • R18-13-2701 (Special Waste Management Fees for Fiscal Year 2011)
  • R18-13-2702 (Increased Landfill Registration Fees for Fiscal Year 2011)
  • R18-13-2703 (Solid Waste Facility Plan Review Fees for Fiscal Year 2011)

A notice about the expiration of these rules will appear in the Arizona Administrative Register.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Mark Lewandowski
Waste Programs Division
P: 602-771-2230

Contributions of hunters, anglers benefit everyone

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conservaationPHOENIX — Even if you don’t actively participate in the time-honored traditions of hunting or angling, National Hunting and Fishing Day is a day of celebration for everyone.

Whatever your interest in wildlife, hunters and anglers—the original conservationists—have made countless contributions over the decades to the conservation of fish and wildlife through sound, science-based management.

Governor Doug Ducey recently signed a proclamation (PDF) celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day on Saturday, as well as recognizing the role that the state’s hunting and angling community plays as an economic driver.

It’s important to understand how those outdoor pursuits benefit wildlife. Since 1939, hunters and anglers have generated more than $15 billion toward wildlife restoration through an excise tax imposed on the sale of hunting, angling and shooting-sports equipment.

Those funds are administered by the federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program, one of the most significant programs benefiting wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation. WSFR funds, along with the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, provide a substantial portion of wildlife conservation funding for activities such as fish and wildlife population management, habitat management, research, surveys, land acquisition, hunter education, shooting and archery ranges, boating access, and more.

Who benefits? The general public gets better stewardship of natural resources. Hunters and anglers get more and better places to hunt and fish. State and federal agencies receive more funds to meet their conservation needs.

More than 786,000 Arizona hunters and anglers certainly are doing their part to keep the state in the black, spending more than $1.2 billion annually and supporting 18,220 jobs, according to the latest report (2011) by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. As a result, $132 million in state and local taxes, and another $155 million in federal taxes, are collected annually.

“I want to thank Governor Ducey for this proclamation that recognizes hunters and anglers as the cornerstone of conservation in Arizona,” said Edward “Pat” Madden, chairman of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. “They are being recognized for job creation, financial impact, conservation efforts and wildlife enhancement.

“On their day, the citizens of Arizona should take a moment and thank a hunter or angler for their contributions to our state.”

As part of National Hunting and Fishing Day, the Arizona Game and Fish Department will be hosting a free public fishing event as part of “Verde River Days” at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. For more information, including a listing of additional free public fishing events statewide in October, visit https://fishazblog.com/free-public-events/.

Lane separator posts being added along westbound US 60 HOV lane

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delineatorpostsadotsept2016a2_cropPHOENIX — To deter unsafe lane changes that can result in crashes, Arizona Department of Transportation crews installed a series of lane separator posts by this weekend along the westbound US 60 (Superstition Freeway) HOV lane between Kyrene Road and Interstate 10 in Tempe.

The white polyurethane posts, also known as lane delineators, are being installed to discourage westbound US 60 drivers using the HOV lane from making sudden lane changes as they approach the I-10 interchange.

Sudden lane changes from the westbound HOV lane have contributed to crashes along this section of US 60 in recent years. While most have been minor, non-injury crashes, some have been serious. The crashes can cause significant delays for drivers on the westbound Superstition Freeway.

Share your priorities for ADOT’s Long-Range Transportation Plan

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capture_cropPHOENIX — Planning Arizona’s transportation future requires setting priorities and making sometimes-difficult choices given limited resources.

As the Arizona Department of Transportation updates its Long-Range Transportation Plan, a blueprint looking from now through 2040, an interactive online survey allows you to help shape this vision by walking through scenarios similar to those facing planners and policymakers.

The survey, developed by ADOT and MetroQuest, is available until November 11 at whatmovesyouarizona.metroquest.com. It gives you the opportunity to rank six transportation priorities: preservation, expansion, safety, technology, accessibility, and maintenance and operations. You’ll get a budget and determine how much of it you’d allocate for each priority. Then you’ll decide tradeoff scenarios that further define your priorities.

It takes just a few minutes and can be completed on a personal computer, smartphone or tablet. A Spanish-language version of the survey is also available via the link.

ADOT’s Long-Range Transportation Plan is updated every five years. While it isn’t project-specific, it identifies investment priorities based on current and projected transportation funding over the next 25 years.

It’s up to the public, policymakers and communities to tell ADOT what’s important to them throughout the long-range planning process and to prioritize projects and funding.

Visit azdot.gov/WhatMovesYouArizona for more information on ADOT’s Long-Range Transportation Plan and to leave a comment. The website also lists study milestones, including a full summary of 12 workshops held earlier this year around the state.

The final version of the plan is expected to be complete in early 2017.

Half of child car seats are installed incorrectly; learn how yours works

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Did you know more than half of all car seats are installed incorrectly? Do you feel an urge to check the buckles, straps, bases and LATCH of your child’s seat?

Go ahead. We can wait. But if you want a refresher in addition to reading the manual that came with your car seat, this video provides general car seat safety tips about installation, fit and when your child should move up to a new seat.

The proper use of car seats is important because every day around the country more than 2,600 kids younger than 13 are involved a car crashes. While vehicle seats are designed for taller and larger adults, car seats keep kids safe.

With Governor Doug Ducey proclaiming this Child Passenger Safety Week, ADOT will display car seat-related safety messages on overhead freeways signs and share information on social media from agencies and organizations that are leaders in promoting car seat safety, such as the Arizona Department of Health Services’ “A Safe Ride Home” and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s “Children Are Priceless Passengers.”

Child Passenger Safety Week culminates with National Seat Check Saturday. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Phoenix Fire Department and other agencies will install and perform car seat checks from 8-11 a.m. at North Phoenix Baptist Church, 5757 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix.

More information about child safety seats:

  • Check here to see if your child’s safety seat has been recalled by the manufacturer.
  • No matter where you live in Arizona, use this web page to find the nearest child passenger safety technician.

Partnership between ADOT, tribe will improve safety along SR 260

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation, White Mountain Apache Tribe and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs are working together to remove trees considered hazards along the State Route 260 right of way through the eastern Arizona reservation.

In addition to reducing the risk of trees falling on the roadway between McNary (milepost 361) and State Route 273 (milepost 378), the project will reduce the accumulation of snow and ice during the winter by allowing more sunlight to reach the pavement. It also will make it less likely that vehicles leaving the highway will hit trees.

The work, which is currently underway and scheduled to last through Oct. 8, requires lane closures and the use of a pilot car between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and watch out for equipment and workers.

White Mountain Apache Timber Co. arranged for a contractor to cut the trees within 30 feet of the roadway, as called for by Federal Highway Administration guidelines. ADOT is providing traffic control, and the tribe will be able to use the trees for lumber and firewood.

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of endangered California condors in Arizona at a public release on Sept. 24

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condorPHOENIX — Endangered California condors will be released to the wild in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24. The public is welcome to observe the release from a viewing area where spotting scopes will be set up, and experts will be available to answer questions.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the reintroduction of condors to Arizona. In December 1996, six captive-bred condors were released. It was the first time condors had been seen in the state since the early 1900s. Now more than 73 condors fly free in the Grand Canyon region and southern Utah.

“Arizona is recognized as a national leader in wildlife conservation, as the California condor reintroduction project demonstrates,” said Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. “This is another great example of the Arizona Game and Fish Department forging successful ‘boots-on-the-ground’ conservation partnerships for the benefit of all Arizona wildlife.”

The release also coincides with National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance America’s public lands.

The world’s total population of California condors is 430, with more than half gracing the skies of Arizona, Utah, California and Mexico. Condors were reduced to just 22 individuals in the 1980s when a program was started to save the species from extinction.

“The department began discussing the possibility of reintroducing endangered California condors in 1985. It’s amazing to now see more than 70 birds flying free in northern Arizona-southern Utah, and the success of our adaptive management efforts along the way,” said Larry Voyles, director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Condors are hatched and reared in captivity at The Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Idaho, Oregon Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park and transported to Arizona for release to the wild.

Recovery and reintroduction cooperators include The Peregrine Fund, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kaibab and Dixie national forests.

To view the condor release, drive north on Highway 89 out of Flagstaff. Turn left (west) onto Highway 89A toward Jacob Lake and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Drive about 40 miles past Marble Canyon until you turn right onto House Rock Valley Road (BLM Road 1065). Travel about three miles to a shaded viewing area on the right. On top of the cliffs to your east will be the location where the condors are released.

Condors have been federally listed as endangered since 1967. The condor is the largest flying land bird in North America. The birds can weigh up to 26 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 9 1/2 feet.

Wildfire forces extended lane restriction east of Payson

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PHOENIX — An extended lane closure is in place on eastbound State Route 260 about 30 miles east of Payson because of the Fulton Fire, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The right lane of eastbound SR 260 will remain closed between mileposts 279 and 282, near Young Road, while crews continue to fight the fire.

There is no estimated time to reopen the right lane. Drivers may experience delays in the area and should allow extra travel time. In addition, smoke may limit visibility on SR 260.

Information on active fires is available through the Arizona Division of Emergency Management at azein.gov. For the most current information about highway closures and restrictions statewide, visit ADOT’s Travel Information Site at az511.gov or call 511.

Fisheries experts reclassify three native fish species as one

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1473410181403-rnau2comnz-5e72c45ae3ecacbeef050b26f9d90acaPHOENIX — A professional committee of fisheries scientists has determined that three species of chub found throughout the lower Colorado River basin—roundtail chub, headwater chub, and Gila chub—will now be recognized as one species, referred to as roundtail chub.

The decision last week by the American Fisheries Society and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Joint Committee on the Names of Fishes resolves a long-term disparity among scientists, as these chub populations are physically similar and have been genetically indistinguishable at the currently recognized species classifications. The inability to differentiate them at a species level made management highly complex, especially given that Gila chub is listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act and roundtail and headwater chub were proposed for listing as threatened in 2015.

Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists last year conducted a complete review of all data and scientific literature available to determine if the available science supported the recognized taxonomic designations of the three species of chub. The department’s review found no justification to support the separation of chub into three separate species, and concluded they should be classified as a single species.

Subsequently, Game and Fish formally requested that the American Fisheries Society re-evaluate the recognized taxonomic designation of the three species. The analysis was assigned to the joint committee, which conducted months of review and listened to presentations by fisheries scientists on the morphology and genetic status of chub. The committee concluded there is no morphological or genetic data that define populations of roundtail chub in the lower Colorado River basin as members of more than one species.

The committee’s decision is strongly supported by Arizona Game and Fish and will result in more effective management and conservation of roundtail chub throughout the state. Based on this decision, the species is found in more than 70 streams in Arizona alone. .

“This is a huge success for chub and for those who manage and conserve chub in the lower Colorado River basin,” said Chris Cantrell, aquatic wildlife chief for Arizona Game and Fish. “The taxonomic history of this species has been debated for decades, which has influenced our management strategies and our ability to implement conservation on a range-wide basis. We know the decision will open doors to more opportunities to protect and conserve chub in Arizona.”

The Joint Committee on the Names of Fishes is a collaborative group of the American Fisheries Society and the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. It maintains a list of scientific and common fish species names to achieve uniformity and avoid confusion in nomenclature. Their work is important to help fisheries professionals know exactly what species or subspecies is under discussion. Fish identification is particularly important when the species is under endangered species protections.

To view the department’s 2015 letter sent to the American Fisheries Society and the joint committee’s final decision, visit In the Current, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s native aquatic species news site.