Category Archives: State Government

Take advantage of MVD alternatives

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PHOENIX — By expanding the use of technology and third-party options, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is making it ever easier for motorists to renew vehicle registrations, apply for driver licenses and more without visiting MVD offices.

Numbers for 2015 tell the story:

4.4 million: That’s the number of transactions by residents processed last year through ServiceArizona.com. That’s an increase from 4.2 million in 2014. This past year, 60 percent of all vehicle registration renewals were done through ServiceArizona. In addition, 3.3 million transactions were processed through ServiceArizona.com by businesses like car dealerships, bringing the total to 7.7 million transactions. ServiceArizona is accessible through desktops, laptops and mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.

4 million: That’s the number of 2015 transactions processed by Authorized Third Party businesses conveniently located around the state. It’s an increase from 3.8 million in 2014.

By comparison, Motor Vehicle Division offices, which typically handle more complex transactions, processed 3.1 million in 2015.

Another notable number: 22. That’s how many Authorized Third Party businesses offer assistance with driver licenses and identification cards in addition to the vehicle title and registration available at most authorized businesses. That’s an increase from seven such businesses in 2014. The Motor Vehicle Division aims to continue to increase that number.

Offering more options to customers is among the ways the Motor Vehicle Division is improving service and meeting Governor Doug Ducey’s call for innovation and efficiency in state government.

“At MVD, our vision is to get Arizona ‘out of the line and safely on the road.’  Our private industry partners and online service options through ServiceArizona.com make these important transactions more convenient for Arizonans to conduct,” Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said.

Other alternatives include 39 ServiceArizona kiosks located in many Motor Vehicle Division offices and a couple of city courthouses. These kiosks offer the same functionality as the ServiceArizona website.

For more information, visit ServiceArizona.com.

A list of Authorized Third Party businesses and MVD offices can be found at azdot.gov/mvdlocations.

US 60 east of Superior to close for blasting operations one day next week

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Motorists using US 60 between Phoenix and Globe next week should plan ahead and consider alternate routes as the Arizona Department of Transportation continues blasting work to build a passing lane and widen roadway shoulders east of Superior.

Construction of the two-mile-long climbing lane from Devil’s Canyon to Oak Flat (mileposts 231-233) will require one full closure lasting four hours on Thursday, Feb. 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

There will be no closures the following week, Feb. 22 through Feb. 26.

Traffic on eastbound US 60 will be stopped east of Superior (milepost 227), and traffic on westbound US 60 will be stopped at the Top of the World, west of Miami (milepost 235), until the blasting work is completed and debris is cleared.

Approximately 30 minutes prior to each blast, motorists should be prepared for possible delays and lane closures as crews set concrete barrier prior to each scheduled closure.

Motorists seeking an alternate route can consider state routes 77 and 177, which is approximately 68 miles long. Motorists headed to the White Mountains region, including Show Low and Springerville, can take State Route 87 through Payson and travel east on State Route 260.

Drivers should use caution, watch for construction equipment and personnel, and allow extra time.

Parade route for Gold Rush Days in Wickenburg requires closure of US 60 on Saturday

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WICKENBURG — Due to this weekend’s 68th annual Gold Rush Days celebration, US 60 in downtown Wickenburg (mileposts 107-110) will be closed in both directions on Saturday (Feb. 13) from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should expect delays or adjust travel plans accordingly. Traffic will be rerouted through a clearly marked detour.

Eastbound traffic on US 60 will be detoured to Vulture Mine Road to US 93 and US 93 southbound to reconnect to US 60.

Westbound traffic on US 60 will be rerouted to the US 93 bypass northbound, US 93 to Vulture Mine Road and Vulture Mine Road back to US 60.

SR 169 reduced to one lane tomorrow and Thursday

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State Route 169 will be reduced to one lane tomorrow and Thursday (Feb. 10 & 11) between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. as crews repair potholes on the roadway on a two-mile segment (mileposts 2 to 4).

Traffic will guided through the work zone in alternating directions. Drivers can expect delays of up to 15 minutes.

The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Roundabout construction will impact drivers on SR 89 at Perkinsville Road in Chino Valley today

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CHINO VALLEY — The Arizona Department of Transportation will restripe the roadway at the intersection of State Route 89 and Perkinsville today between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to allow crews to begin construction of a new roundabout.

In addition to the restriping of the roadway, crews will close Perkinsville Road for the next five weeks and drivers will need to use alternate routes, to access SR 89 until the work is completed on the east side of the project. Traffic will be shifted to the west side of the roadway on SR 89 to make room for construction activity.

Drivers may have minimal impacts during work hours and ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

This $1.5 million project consists of a new roundabout at the intersection of SR 89 and Perkinsville Road between mileposts 328 and 329. Additional work includes removal and replacement of existing pavement, drainage improvements, new pavement markings and lighting.

This project is expected to be complete by September.

ADEQ Issues Renewable Energy Permit to Facility in Rural Arizona Creating New Jobs and Protecting the Environment

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PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today issuance of a first of its kind air quality permit in Arizona to Concord Blue Eagar, LLC (Concord) for a new facility in Apache County, to produce renewable electricity and wood char using innovative processes. In record time for a class II permit, it took ADEQ only 85 days to complete the process from an administratively complete application to issuance, which gives the company authorization to construct and operate the facility.

Located in rural Arizona, the new facility is expected to create more than 40 new jobs – 30 during construction and 12 full-time once operation begins – benefitting the local economy, community and the environment. According to Concord, the facility will process 75 tons per day of wood fuels to operate.

“The Concord Blue facility in Eagar, Arizona offers the potential to increase the market value for small diameter ponderosa pine stands that we need to thin in order to create fire adapted communities and resilient ecosystems in the forested regions of our state,” said the State Forester, Jeff Whitney.

Using a unique technology that heats wood to create a natural-gas-like fuel, Concord plans to generate electricity from materials collected during forest thinning operations, as well as community plant trimmings and sawmill wood debris. Applying this technology at its Eagar plant will produce one megawatt of electricity for the Navopache Electric Co-Op Incorporated, as well as generate enough power to run the plant.

“Concord’s plan to use wood from forest thinning would help foster healthy forests, reduce excess wood that could fuel larger forest fires, clean up unwanted wood debris, and promote community safety,” ADEQ Director Misael Cabrera said. “Swiftly permitting the Concord facility also is an outstanding example of how ADEQ is working with industry to support environmentally responsible economic growth in Arizona.”

Concord Blue Vice President Project Management Scott Noll stated, “Throughout the permitting process, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality air permitting staff provided very helpful guidance regarding air dispersion modeling and did an excellent job expediting their review process once our full application was deemed complete.”

Thanks to significant process improvements implemented agency-wide, ADEQ now issues air quality permits 70 percent faster than just four years ago. Governor Ducey has challenged all state agencies to operate at the speed of business and ADEQ is delivering with faster, cheaper, better government without sacrificing environmental protection. Additional examples include:

  • A 25 percent reduction in vehicle emissions testing fees for more than one million Maricopa County residents;
  • A more than 50 percent reduction in the average time required to return facilities to compliance; and
  • Reducing the time it takes for customers to obtain public records by 70 percent by being the first Arizona agency to leverage technology to make its public record metadata available through an online application called MegaSearch.

Concord plans to begin operating the power plant by the end of 2016 and is working to secure the necessary wood fuel contracts. For more information about the Concord technology, please visit: http://www.concordblueenergy.com/

ADOT project creating more reliable link to key Yuma County employer

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YUMA — Residents will have a more reliable link with Yuma County’s largest employer, Yuma Proving Ground, thanks to a 600-foot bridge the Arizona Department of Transportation is building across a flood-prone section of US 95.

Work began this week on the $9.3 million bridge spanning Fortuna Wash northeast of Yuma and is expected to be completed by next winter.

In addition to being a key trade route between the U.S. and Mexico, US 95 near Yuma sees increased demand during the winter months from agricultural workers and seasonal visitors. The highway currently passes through the wash, which sees flash flooding that forces closures.

“Building a bridge over Fortuna Wash is a critical safety project for the Yuma County region, the Yuma Proving Ground and the agricultural industry,” said ADOT Southwest District Engineer Paul Patane. “Motorists rely on this roadway every day to travel between Yuma and Interstate 10, and flash flooding at Fortuna Wash has previously closed the only north-south corridor in the region, forcing motorists to take lengthy detours. This new bridge will be a huge benefit to the region.”

The bridge, partially funded through a $3.2 million federal grant ADOT received in 2011, is going in at milepost 34, approximately 12 miles northeast of Yuma and 10 miles south of the turnoff (Imperial Dam Road) to Yuma Proving Ground.

Yuma Proving Ground, a U.S. Army facility with more than 3,000 military and civilian employees, is one of the largest military installations in the world and home to General Motors’ hot-weather vehicle test facility. It has an economic impact of more than $430 million annually.

“I personally have waited many hours on Highway 95 over the years because Fortuna Wash floodwaters flowed over the road,” said Chuck Wullenjohn, public affairs officer at Yuma Proving Ground. “The new bridge will be a boon both for commuters and for YPG cargo shipments that will no longer face being impeded by a flowing wash.”

ADOT’s long-term goal is widening about 15 miles of US 95 between Avenue 9E to Aberdeen Road, but that project would first need to be funded. The Fortuna Wash bridge will be built to accommodate four lanes of traffic but initially striped for two lanes with center-turn lane.

Crews are scheduled to work on the Fortuna Wash bridge project during weekdays between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Initial work will include setting up a temporary detour road and tree removals, while actual bridge construction is expected to begin in March.

Motorists should allow extra travel time as lane restrictions will be in place and flaggers will occasionally need to alternate traffic through the work zone.

AZPDES for the Town of Jerome

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PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) RENEWAL PERMIT – EXTENSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with §40 CFR 131, §40 CFR 25, and Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:

Public Notice No. 16-31A Published on February 3, 2016
Published in the Verde Independent

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0021804
Town of Jerome
P.O. Box 335
Jerome, Arizona 86331

The Town of Jerome has applied for a renewal AZPDES permit for the proposed discharge of up to 0.07 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated domestic wastewater from the Town of Jerome Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to Bitter Creek in the Verde River Basin in Township 16 N, Range 2 E, Section 23, in Yavapai County, Arizona. The Town of Jerome WWTP is a publicly owned treatment works that receives domestic wastewater from residential and commercial sources in the Town of Jerome. Dewatered sludge is hauled to an approved landfill for disposal. Variances from the water quality standards and interim limits are proposed for nitrogen and phosphorus in the draft permit.

This notice was previously published from December 9, 2015 to January 11, 2016. The draft permit contains water quality standard variances which require a 45 day public notice period, therefore, this notice is being re-published for a period of 15 days to meet this requirement. The permit and fact sheet may be viewed online at http://www.azdeq.gov/cgi-bin/vertical.pl by typing the permit number in the box left of “Search Event”. The public notice and related documentation also are available for public review, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85007. In Phoenix, please call (602) 771-4380 or e-mail recordscenter@azdeq.gov 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment to review the file.

Persons may submit comments or request a public hearing on the proposed action in writing, to Ramona Chomor, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division, 1110 W. Washington St., 5415B-3, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. All written comments received by ADEQ by the close of business on the date 15 days after publication of this notice will be considered in the final permit decision. A public hearing request must be in writing and must include the reasons for such request. If there is a significant degree of public interest, the Director will hold a hearing in accordance with A.A.C. R18-9-A908(B).

AZPDES for Queen Creek

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PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) RENEWAL PERMIT- EXTENSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with §40 CFR 131, §40 CFR 25, and Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:

Public Notice No.16-42 Published on February 3, 2016
Published on Northern Arizona Gazette

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0024708
Utility Source
20525 E. Chandler Heights Rd.
Queen Creek, AZ 85142

Utility Source applied for renewal of an AZPDES permit for the proposed discharge of up to 0.125 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated domestic wastewater from the Flagstaff Meadows Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to an unnamed wash, tributary to Volunteer Wash, eventual tributary to the Verde River in the Verde River Basin.in Township 21 N, Range 5 E, Section 1, in Coconino County, Arizona. Notice of ADEQ’s decision to issue this renewal was originally published on December 23, 2015, and ADEQ is hereby extending the comment period an additional 15 days, to February 18, 2016, to allow for interested parties to comment. Variances from the water quality standards and interim limits are proposed for nitrogen and phosphorus.

The permit and fact sheet may be viewed online at http://www.azdeq.gov/cgi-bin/vertical.pl by typing the permit number in the box left of “Search Event”. The public notice and related documentation also are available for public review, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85007. In Phoenix, please call (602) 771-4380 or e-mail recordscenter@azdeq.gov 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment to review the file.

Persons may submit comments or request a public hearing on the proposed action in writing, to Richard Mendolia, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division, 1110 W. Washington St., 5415B-3, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. All written comments received by ADEQ by the close of business on the date 30 days after publication of this notice will be considered in the final permit decision. A public hearing request must be in writing and must include the reasons for such request. If there is a significant degree of public interest, the Director will hold a hearing in accordance with A.A.C. R18-9-A908(B).

ADOT’s first TowPlow clearing stretch of I-40 faster, more efficiently

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PHOENIX — An innovative new snowplow is allowing the Arizona Department of Transportation to remove snow and ice more efficiently by having one driver clear the width of two lanes.

The first TowPlow to join ADOT’s fleet of 200 traditional snowplows is assigned to 20 miles of Interstate 40 between Williams and Bellemont west of Flagstaff. The device saw its first use during this week’s snowstorm.

The TowPlow is a steerable trailer with a 26-foot blade that’s attached to the back of a regular snowplow truck. The combination, able to plow a 24-foot-wide path, lets ADOT clear more lanes in less time using less fuel.

“It’s been a very busy year for ADOT’s winter operations, and as we work through this latest storm the TowPlow has already been out on the highway plowing snow and ice,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “This new plow is a time-saving and safe addition to the department’s fleet of snowplow trucks and provides a higher level of service to all drivers and travelers.”

When possible, ADOT will run another snowplow truck alongside the TowPlow setup, clearing both lanes and the shoulder at once. To keep vehicles at a safe distance, a flag car will be positioned behind the snowplows traveling side by side.

ADOT will evaluate the TowPlow’s performance this winter before deciding whether to purchase more.

As with any snowplow, drivers need to do their part to stay safe:

Slow down: Stay well behind the safety vehicle that follows the TowPlow.
Don’t try to pass: The flag car and the plows will move over periodically and allow traffic to pass when it is safe to do so.
Remember: The road behind the TowPlow and other snowplows is the safest place to drive. For more tips on preparing for travel in snow country, please visit azdot.gov/knowsnow.