Category Archives: State Government

PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) RENEWAL PERMIT

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Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with 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.15-28     Published on Friday, December 05, 2014
Published in the Nogales International

Town of Patagonia WWTP

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0025011

Town of Patagonia

P.O. Box 767

Patagonia, AZ 85624

Town of Patagonia applied for a renewal AZPDES permit for the proposed discharge of up to 0.11 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated domestic wastewater from the Town of Patagonia Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to Sonoita Creek, tributary to the Santa Cruz River in the Santa Cruz River Basin in Township 7 S, Range 6 E, Section 32, in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The Town of Patagonia WWTP is a publicly owned treatment works that receives domestic wastewater from residential and commercial sources in Patagonia. Sludge is stabilized in an aerobic digester and sludge belt filter press dewatering system. Dewatered sludge in the form of pressed cake is sent to the Patagonia Municipal Landfill for disposal.

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 M. Reza Azizi, 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. R18-9-908(B).

Toolkit for Conducting Electronic Waste Recycling Events Now Available for Use by Border Region Communities

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ADEQ-2PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials announced today that free toolkits for conducting free electronic waste (e-waste) recycling events in Arizona municipalities in the border region are now available.

A total of $115,150 is being utilized from a collaboration of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Border 2020 Program, the Border Environmental Cooperation Commission (BECC) and ADEQ to produce educational materials and conduct nine free e-waste recycling events in the southern Arizona communities. As part of the grant, ADEQ entered into a technical assistance agreement with BECC.

The recycling events will be held in Nogales, San Luis, Somerton, Wellton, Sahuarita, Patagonia, Douglas, Sierra Vista and Bisbee beginning early next year through the end of August 2015. ADEQ has retained a certified recycler that adheres to best practices to safely manage e-waste and protect public health and the environment.

The goal of the grant is to recycle, rather than send to a landfill, 100,000 pounds of e-waste in the border region and to have each of the communities develop capacity to hold annual e-waste recycling events.

“ADEQ has had a very successful free electronic waste recycling program focusing on central and northern Arizona the past five years,” ADEQ Director Henry Darwin said. “We are excited now to be offering these free opportunities to border region residents. This is a great opportunity for people to dispose of all the unwanted electronics they have collected over the years while at the same time ensuring that this potentially toxic stream of waste is disposed of responsibly and doesn’t take up valuable landfill space.”

ADEQ and the non-profit group Keep Arizona Beautiful will be conducting workshops in how to conduct the e-waste events during December throughout southern Arizona.

The toolkit, available in both English and Spanish, contains templates of media releases and flyers, options for selecting e-waste recycling companies, a how-to guide in conducting an e-waste event, educational materials, and volunteer sign-off forms. The toolkit will also be available in Spanish to facilitate these events in the border, ultimately benefitting the broadest communities.

“Every year, households in the U.S. discard more than two million tons of obsolete electronic products such as computers, cell phones and televisions,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The goal of this toolkit is to educate communities on proper electronic recycling and prevent valuable materials from being thrown away.”

Border 2020 is a bi-national collaborative effort with a mission to protect human health and the environment along the U.S.–Mexico border. For more information on the Border 2020 Program, please visit www.epa.gov/border2020.

Utility work on State Route 89 in Chino Valley scheduled tomorrow

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State Route 89 in Chino Valley at Road 4 North (milepost 330) will be closed for up to 15 minutes between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The closure will provide a safe work zone as crews place overhead utility lines across the roadway.

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. Law enforcement personnel will be present to enforce the closures as they occur.

Traffic to switch to new alignment on US 89 in conjunction with opening of new roundabout at the US 89/SR 64 junction north of Flagstaff

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The Arizona Department of Transportation will be switching traffic for both north- and southbound travel on US 89 in Cameron during the morning hours on Tuesday, Dec. 2, to allow for construction to continue on the roadway and bridge project currently underway.

Traffic will be diverted onto the new alignment directly adjacent to the existing US 89 through the community of Cameron, approximately 50 miles north of Flagstaff. In addition to switching traffic to the new alignment, the recently completed roundabout at the US 89/State Route 64 junction will also be opened.

These improvements are part of a project which includes widening US 89 to two lanes in each direction between SR 64 and the Little Colorado River, replacement of the existing US 89 Cameron truss bridge and installation of a roundabout, with new lighting and pedestrian facilities throughout the project area. Travel will continue on the existing bridge while the new bridge is being constructed. The roadway and bridge improvement project is expected to be completed in fall 2016.

Traffic delays may occur during construction with traffic reduced to one lane. There will be directional signage and flaggers present during construction. ADOT advises motorists to be alert for construction equipment and personnel, and to proceed through the work zone with caution.

No state highway closures over Thanksgiving weekend

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In an effort to help holiday travelers and promote safety, the Arizona Department of Transportation says no construction closures are scheduled along Phoenix-area freeways or state highways over the Thanksgiving weekend. No closures will be scheduled between Wednesday afternoon and early Monday morning, Dec. 1.

Drivers who have plans to travel over the weekend are urged to focus on safety. ADOT and its contractors will hold off on work requiring closures as the busy holiday travel season gets underway. Motorists should focus on staying alert and obeying speed limits, especially in areas where existing work zones are in place.

Last year, 13 people were killed in a total of 10 fatal crashes along Arizona highways and local roads over the Thanksgiving weekend. Three of those fatal crashes were alcohol-related. ADOT, the Department of Public Safety and Governor’s Office of Highway Safety ask motorists to follow these safe-driving tips:

  • Get a good night’s rest before heading out on a trip.
  • Check your vehicle, including tire pressure, fluid levels and the condition of engine belts.
  • Buckle up and double-check child safety seats.
  • Never drive while impaired. Arrange for a designated driver ahead of time.
  • Obey speed limits, be patient and avoid distractions. Don’t text while driving.
  • Be prepared for unscheduled closures due to accidents. Have an emergency preparedness kit that includes extra clothes, blankets, flashlights, snack foods and drinking water.

ADOT also teams up with DPS and the Black Canyon City and Daisy Mountain fire departments to focus on emergency response efforts along Interstate 17 north of Phoenix, especially when heavier traffic is expected on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. ADOT will position vehicles and equipment in the Anthem and Cordes Junction areas to allow crews to quickly respond to crashes or disabled vehicles and reopen the highway in the event of closures or lane restrictions.

For the latest highway conditions across Arizona, travelers can visit ADOT’s Travel Information site at az511.gov or call 511 (outside Arizona call 1-888-411-ROAD). ADOT’s public information line for state highway conditions is 602-712-6513. You can also track closures and other highway conditions at Twitter.com/ArizonaDOT.

Additional information about winter driving and items to include in an emergency preparedness kit can be found at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

State Route 67 to North Rim of Grand Canyon closing for winter season

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The Arizona Department of Transportation will close State Route 67 between Jacob Lake (US 89A) and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park for the winter season beginning Monday, Dec. 1.

The road could be closed earlier if heavy snowfall occurs in the area prior to the closure date. ADOT does not clear snow from SR 67 during the winter since the visitor accommodations at the North Rim are closed. The highway reopens each spring, usually around mid-May. US 89A will remain open at the junction with SR 67.

Before heading out on the roads, drivers are encouraged to call 511 or visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Center at az511.gov for the latest highway conditions around the state. The website features camera images along state highways that give drivers a glimpse of weather conditions in various regions.

Be prepared for winter driving by checking for weather conditions prior to your travels on Arizona roadways.

ADEQ to play host to Hazardous Waste Workshop for Nogales

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PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials announced today that a free hazardous waste workshop for residents of Nogales and the surrounding area will be conducted on Thursday, Dec. 11 from 8 a.m. until noon in Council Chambers of Nogales City Hall, 777 N. Grand Ave.

The session will cover Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and hazardous waste regulations, hazardous waste generator statutes, common hazardous wastes by auto repair facilities, what to expect when you are inspected, top 10 most common hazardous waste violations, and the new ADEQ hazardous waste inspection checklist. Workshop materials will be available in both English and Spanish.

Free parking is available at the site. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP with Eder Delgadillo of ADEQ at delgadillo.eder@azdeq.gov or (602) 771-4851.

“Workshops like these are a good collaboration between ADEQ and businesses to protect public health and teach the proper documentation for handling hazardous waste,” said ADEQ Director Henry Darwin. “We encourage everyone to attend who could benefit from this session.”

Show Low Second Municipality in State to Complete Work on ADEQ’s Small Communities Compliance Assistance Plan

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ADEQ-2PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials announced today that the City of Show Low in Navajo County has become the second municipality in the state to complete a Small Communities Environmental Protection Plan (SCEPP) to help communities and special water and wastewater districts comply with state and federal environmental regulations.

With a plan in place, Show Low is now positioned to identify potential environmental concerns or issues, disclose identified violations and request compliance assistance if needed. The district is eligible for up to a 100 percent penalty reduction if it has future environmental violations.

ADEQ’s Small Communities Environmental Compliance Assistance project assists small towns and special water and wastewater districts in compliance with state and federal environmental laws and reducing the number of violations and enforcement actions.

“We congratulate the City of Show Low for being among the leaders in the state on environmental cooperation and sustainability,” said ADEQ Director Henry Darwin. “Small communities in the state have limited financial resources and we are committed to helping them comply with environmental laws and be good green stewards.”

ADEQ will present the city with a certificate of achievement at the next Show Low City Council meeting next Tuesday, Nov. 18. The Town of Eagar, Pinetop-Lakeside Sanitary District and Naco Sanitary District are the only three other governmental entities to complete the SCEPP process in Arizona.

Guidance materials, including a comprehensive manual, have been prepared to train small communities and water and wastewater districts on environmental requirements and help with SCEPP development. For more information about the program: http://www.azdeq.gov/function/compliance/smallcomm.html.

Work continues on State Route 87 north of Sunflower

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Crews continue to make progress on a safety improvement project on State Route 87 between Payson and Phoenix, approximately seven miles north of Sunflower. For the next two months, drivers need to be aware of daytime and nighttime restrictions between mileposts 221 and 228.

Northbound traffic on SR 87 will be narrowed to one lane and a 10-foot width restriction will be in effect until project completion in mid-May 2015.

In addition, northbound SR 87 will be closed through the work zone between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. Sunday night through Friday mornings for the next two months. Northbound drivers will be shifted to southbound SR 87, which will become a two-way roadway with one lane in each direction. Drivers will be guided through the work zone with the aid of a pilot car with delays of up to 30 minutes.

Some intermittent lane restrictions are possible on southbound SR 87 during daytime work hours. Minimal delays expected.

Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra time to reach their destinations. 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.

Lane restrictions on State Route 260 east of Cottonwood for drainage repair

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PRESCOTT – Motorists traveling on westbound State Route 260, approximately four miles east of Cottonwood at Wilbur Canyon, need to be aware that crews will begin repairs on embankments along the roadway due to recent erosion at between mileposts 209 to 210.

Work is expected to begin on Monday, Nov. 17 and will require a single lane restriction westbound only for the next three months. Work hours are Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

The speed limit through the work zones will be reduced to 45 mph during work hours.

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.