Key Points:

• The Arizona Corporation Commission hosted a workshop on natural gas

• The all-Republican panel indicated it is in favor of expanding natural gas generation

• Only one workshop presenter spoke in opposition to new gas infrastructure

The Arizona Corporation Commission indicates it is in favor of new natural gas infrastructure and storage as utility companies say natural gas will be crucial to supporting the state’s increasing demand for energy.

During an Aug. 26 workshop on natural gas, commissioners heard from Arizona utility companies, pipeline companies, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the American Gas Association about the need for new projects to deliver and store natural gas in Arizona. Currently, most existing natural gas pipelines are at capacity and no utilities store natural gas within Arizona.

“Expanding natural gas infrastructure is definitely critical to ensuring Arizona’s energy reliability into the future,” Commissioner Nick Myers said. “And this workshop has confirmed my belief that we’re headed in the right direction.” 

The other four commissioners echoed Myers’ sentiments throughout the meeting and gave enthusiastic support for increasing natural gas generation in the state. 

The workshop came just a few weeks after Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, Tucson Electric Power and UniSource Energy Services announced they would join in on Transwestern Pipeline’s Desert Southwest expansion project. The pipeline expansion will bring new natural gas to the state from Texas, starting in late 2029, at a cost of approximately $5.3 billion. 

APS stated that the new pipeline will enable it to serve its customers more affordably, while SRP and TEP indicated that they are both considering converting existing coal plants to natural gas with the construction of the pipeline. 

Danny Seiden, CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also informed commissioners that natural gas expansion is a significant selling point for businesses considering relocation to the state. 

“Perhaps most importantly for Arizona’s future, natural gas is essential to the success of our advanced manufacturing sector,” Seiden said.

He highlighted how natural gas will support semiconductor companies like TSMC and the increasing energy demand from data center companies that are already approaching Arizona’s utilities with proposals for new facilities. 

Beth Hickey, a representative for Transwestern Pipeline Company, thanked commissioners for their warm reception to new natural gas infrastructure.

“It’s really refreshing to come into a room and have so much love for natural gas,” Hickey said. “It’s actually a really welcome change to some of the rooms I’ve been in.”

The workshop did not focus entirely on the benefits of natural gas, despite the overwhelming support for it from commissioners and utilities. Western Resource Advocates, a nonprofit group focused on climate change and clean energy, urged commissioners to consider the risks associated with new natural gas generation.

“I may be the lone voice you hear today that is not telling you that we need new gas in Arizona,” said Alex Routhier, a senior policy adviser with WRA.

Routhier said natural gas generation poses financial, reliability, safety, and health risks to Arizona and advised commissioners to instead lean into clean forms of energy, such as solar and wind. All of the commissioners pushed back on Routhier’s concerns.

“To think that you’re just going to shut off the coal plants and natural gas plants and go 100% renewable is a false hope,” said Chair Kevin Thompson. 

Other commissioners emphasized that they are in favor of an “all-of-the-above approach” to energy supplies, which includes natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind, and coal. But one member of the public accused the commission of holding a “one-sided” workshop that only touted the benefits of natural gas with very little discussion of the risks. 

Of the 14 stakeholder groups that presented at the workshop, Western Resource Advocates was the only presenter not in favor of bringing more natural gas generation to the state. Thompson and Myers both denied that the discussion was one-sided.

“You’ll notice we did have WRA on our agenda,” Myers said during his closing comments. “We did not intentionally exclude one side or the other. There just happens to be a lot of support for natural gas. It’s that simple.”

Several other stakeholders, including the Arizona Public Interest Research Group and the Sierra Club have expressed concern about the expansion of natural gas in the state, but neither was invited to present at the workshop. 

The commission did not take any votes on natural gas expansion at the workshop and is unlikely to vote on approvals for any new natural gas projects this year. 

The post ACC signals strong support for more natural gas generation first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Arizona has long faced the reality of a hotter, drier future, and in response, the city of Tucson, local schools and neighborhoods have stepped up to lead on clean energy and climate resilience. From solar-powered elementary schools to heat-mitigation projects in disinvested communities, we have become an example of what real, local climate solutions can look like.

But now, as Congress works to advance President Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” this momentum is under attack — fueled by partisan politics, disinformation and a deliberate effort to derail federal investments designed to protect our current and future health, environment and economy.

As the vice mayor and representative of Tucson’s Ward 1, I see firsthand how clean energy investments are not abstract policy — they’re already improving lives in our communities.

At Manzo Elementary, a school rooted in Barrio Hollywood, solar panels not only lower utility bills but also power classrooms and help teach the next generation what environmental stewardship looks like. Recognized as a national leader in place-based sustainability education, Manzo integrates aquaponics, school gardens, composting, rainwater harvesting and outdoor learning spaces to make climate education hands-on and culturally relevant. These efforts build climate literacy and leadership from the ground up. Manzo is a model for what community-rooted climate solutions can be: locally led, accessible and built for the future. Investments from the Inflation Reduction Act help schools like Manzo thrive, not just survive rising energy costs.

But here in the desert, we’re up against more than utility hikes — we’re facing deadly heat. Every summer, Tucson sets new records for heat-related emergency room visits. In neighborhoods like mine, where many families live in older homes without modern cooling systems, heat can be a public health emergency. The clean energy investments under threat aren’t just about grid resilience — they’re about saving lives.

What’s at stake couldn’t be clearer. Just this spring, Tucson lost over $7 million in federal funding after Republicans began targeting what they’ve called “green new scam” programs — money that would have gone to community-led climate resilience projects right here in Ward 1. That includes shade infrastructure at 20 high-use bus stops, battery storage upgrades at public-serving facilities, and transforming asphalt heat islands into green stormwater harvesting sites like the South 12th Avenue Greenway. These weren’t abstract ideas — they were shovel-ready plans that would have made our streets safer, cooler and more livable for families already on the frontlines of extreme heat. Now, they’re stalled. We can’t afford to let partisan attacks derail solutions our communities have been building for years.

To make matters worse, the current GOP budget bill being considered in Congress uses the tax dollars “saved” by gutting these critical investments to instead help pay for nearly $4 trillion in tax cuts for corporations and the rich. They want to take from communities like ours and reward Wall Street and the very wealthiest Americans.

Cities like Tucson have used IRA funding to advance clean transportation, invest in urban greening, and build neighborhood cooling solutions in areas most affected by extreme heat. Rather than gutting these programs, we should be expanding them. Imagine what we could do with continued support: more shaded bus stops across our cities, solar panels on every school, green jobs for youth, heat preparedness and home weatherization programs to protect our most vulnerable.

I urge all of Arizona’s elected leaders in Washington to put Arizona first and vote no on stripping these critical investments from communities like ours that rely on them.

Lane Santa Cruz is the vice mayor of Tucson and represents Ward 1 on the Tucson City Council.

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Summer is on its way in Arizona, and I’m already dreading it. 

As a veteran who grew up in Arizona and has spent time in Afghanistan, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Sahara, I can tell you that a summer in Phoenix ranks among the worst. It wears on you, on your car, on your wallet. Yet here in one of the sunniest states in the country, we’re still not taking full advantage of the most obvious solution: solar energy. 

Arizona summers were a serious consideration when my wife and I were deciding whether or not to move back home when I left the Navy.

What’s even more frustrating? States like Texas are leaving us in the dust.

That’s right — Texas. A state built on oil and gas is now one of the biggest producers of wind and solar energy in the country. They’re doing it because it makes economic sense. It’s job-creating, cost-cutting and infrastructure-smart. Meanwhile, Arizona — sitting on an endless supply of sunshine — is stuck talking about it instead of leading. We’re trailing not just Texas, but Florida, North Carolina and Nevada in solar production. The United States as a whole has also allowed China to roar past us and take the lead in solar energy.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

When I drive down the street from my Tempe home through the campus of Arizona State University, I see something we should’ve copied statewide by now: solar panels over the same parking lots across which we used to endure a long, hot walk to campus, blessedly now sheltered by a canopy of solar panels keeping the university humming without having to bleed energy along lengthy transmission lines.

Not only do they generate clean electricity, but they provide shade — real, usable shade that makes a huge difference when the outside temperature hits 110 degrees, let alone 120. You can actually touch your steering wheel without burning your hand. Imagine that.

Now think about every grocery store, school, office park or hospital across Arizona. Why aren’t we covering all those parking lots with solar panels, too? We could be generating power and protecting cars from heat damage at the same time. It’s smart, simple and shovel-ready. Instead, we keep dragging our feet.

To be clear, we are making progress. Since the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022, companies have announced more than $13.34 billion in clean energy projects in Arizona, creating nearly 19,000 new jobs. However, since President Trump took office, there are currently more than 10,500 jobs and $3.61 billion in investments in clean energy projects lost or threatened in our state.

Clean energy solutions like solar and energy efficiency are doing more than cooling parking lots — they’re helping Arizona combat extreme heat, lower electricity costs and create good-paying jobs across the state. The solar industry is expanding rapidly, offering new career opportunities to workers, including many veterans transitioning to civilian life, such as jobs in manufacturing, installing, and maintaining solar panels and farms, and modernizing our electrical grid. These innovative, homegrown solutions strengthen our economy and protect our communities.

However, the current administration and some lawmakers are pushing to repeal or defund the policies that made this economic progress possible because of a political agenda that ignores the economic reality that affordable energy is going to be the most critical factor to economic growth, making sure your home isn’t unbearably hot. The House Republicans recently passed the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping, multi-trillion-dollar tax package that, if enacted, would represent one of the most significant wealth transfers from average Americans to billionaires and corporate polluters in modern history. The bill jeopardizes clean energy programs that support our local economy.

This isn’t about being liberal or conservative — it’s about being practical. Conservative-led states are embracing renewables, not because they’ve had a political change of heart, but because they’re reading the numbers. Solar energy is cheap, clean and reliable. That’s the kind of energy Arizona needs, especially as our grid is tested by rising temperatures and surging populations.

Arizona should be leading this moment, not watching from the sidelines while other states like Texas reap the benefits. It’s time to fully embrace the opportunity to power our future, grow local jobs and build extreme heat resilience.

Arizona can catch up and remain a great place for veterans and their families to call home — but we’d better move fast, because summer is coming. Now more than ever, we need our leaders to protect Arizona’s clean energy economic progress to ensure we build safer and healthier communities for all.

Tim Stringham is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Navy. He served as a Captain in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom and later in the Navy JAG Corps. He is now the Co-Executive Director of VetsForward, a veteran-led organization protecting democracy at home and advancing clean energy, climate resilience and veteran leadership. 

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Arizona has long prided itself on being a state where businesses can thrive. But lately, we’re seeing more uncertainty about investing here. Kore Power decided earlier this year to cancel its long-planned $1.2 billion battery storage plant in Buckeye. Last year, Arizona slipped from 5th to 8th nationally in residential solar installations. These are not isolated incidents, but rather a stark warning sign: inconsistent market signals and unpredictable regulatory hurdles are making Arizona a more challenging place for clean energy to invest. When businesses don’t know what to expect, they hesitate, and this uncertainty ultimately leads to fewer jobs, less economic opportunities and fewer tools to lower energy costs for Arizonans. 

As lawmakers finish up their work this session, Arizona is at a crossroads. We can either continue down a path marked by mixed signals and missed opportunities, or we can recommit to policies that are friendly to markets, welcome innovation and support long-term economic growth. 

It’s not all bad news. Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed several harmful bills this year that would have stalled clean energy progress, driven up electricity costs, created regulatory uncertainty and jeopardized Arizona’s ability to attract and retain business investment. These vetoes were a big win toward restoring investor and business confidence. 

Another encouraging step was the reinstatement of the state’s Efficiency Arizona program. This program, supported by $153 million from the Inflation Reduction Act, will help residents upgrade to energy-efficient appliances: lowering energy costs, reducing peak demand and making the grid more reliable. This will not only benefit Arizona families, but also create jobs for local contractors and electricians, stimulating small businesses. Programs like these align the state’s policies with the needs of its economy. 

But while these are signs of progress, they’re not enough. To stay competitive and ensure long-term growth, Arizona must do more than maintain the status quo – we have to lead. 

As an example, Arizona should pass legislation that requires utility companies to invest in advanced grid technologies. Our electric grid is outdated and struggles to meet growing energy demand, and these technologies help more electricity flow through existing transmission lines, lowering electricity costs and improving grid reliability. With smart planning and investment, we can connect cheaper energy to the grid without having to build costly new infrastructure. 

Policymakers should also modernize how we plan and build energy infrastructure, through updated transmission planning and streamlined permitting for clean energy projects, and support local, customer-owned energy resources like battery storage and rooftop solar. Policies like these would not only strengthen reliability and control costs but also position Arizona as a leader, sending a clear signal that the state is serious about competing in the modern economy and embracing forward-looking, investment-friendly policies. 

With the right policies, Arizona can secure its energy future, supporting local jobs and building a grid ready to power the next decade of growth. 

But to remain competitive, we can’t afford hesitation. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year and an energy-hungry economy ready to grow, we should be leading in the development of clean, low-cost energy, not standing still while other states surge ahead. Investing in home-grown, abundant and low-cost sources of energy should be a top priority for the state. 

Arizona’s future is on the line. We can either lean into competition, reliability and innovation, or double down on monopoly-era rules that stifle progress and raise costs. Businesses are watching. Families are watching. And if Arizona fails to modernize, we risk falling behind. 

Michael Barrio leads national business association Advanced Energy United’s engagement in Arizona.

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Working as a solar developer and contractor in our country’s sunniest state seems like a no-brainer, fool-proof small business model, and I’m grateful for the pro-business environment we foster in Arizona. Yet, we’re now witnessing an aggressive approach at the federal level to roll back the bipartisan energy tax credit legislation that continues to fuel economic development and job opportunities in our state while improving access to cost-saving technology such as solar and energy storage.

I’m grateful that our Congressman Juan Ciscomani is not among those ignoring the benefits that this legislation brings to our state. His actions reflect an understanding that pro-business tax policies have helped and continue to help Americans improve their livelihood here in Arizona and across the country. Promoting energy independence through the solar and energy storage industry is as fiscally conservative and all-American as it gets, and I applaud him and the 20 other House Republicans for signing a newsletter supporting the technology-neutral Energy Tax Credit. Small businesses and Arizonans need consistency and predictability now more than ever, but these impactful tax credits may be on the chopping block as Congress considers tax policies this year.

As a solar and energy solutions contractor in Arizona, I witness the direct and indirect benefits that these tax credits bring to our state. Arizona ranks fourth in total installed solar capacity nationally, with almost 2,000 megawatts installed in 2024 alone. In my professional capacity, I’ve successfully deployed more than 250 school solar projects that have saved our public education sector more than $12 million since 2011. National policies such as the tax credits under consideration have helped my business immensely as well as over 50 new energy manufacturers in Arizona to churn out American-made products since 2022 and inject almost $1.46 billion in energy and transportation investments into the state. Is there a factual argument against these enormous and generationally impactful investments in our state, which continues to rank among the highest growth regions in the country?

Make no mistake, everyone will be impacted if Congress repeals the solar, storage and other energy tax credits. We will lose our freedom to hedge against rising monopoly utility costs through rooftop solar and the like, and, ironically, our utilities will lose access to their lowest cost new-build resource solar and storage systems which accounted for more than 90% of new utility-scale generation in 2024. One recent study says rolling back these tax credits could raise energy costs by nearly $500 per year, per household. Meanwhile, with Arizona accepting an influx of energy intensive data center buildouts, residents will shatter under the pressure of energy prices and demand skyrocketing as our state’s greatest generation resource, Palo Verde Nuclear, is dwarfed by an unprecedented base load requiring our state’s largest utility provider to triple their capacity by 2038. Frankly, American taxpayers can’t afford to lose access to these energy tax credits – Representative Ciscomani understands this.

Despite misinformed opposition, the solar industry in Arizona offers access to our state’s most recognized (and dare I say underutilized) strategic resource as well as high-paying, skilled construction and engineering professions. If the administration’s goal is to promote more domestic manufacturing and an all-of-the-above energy independence approach, then these technology-neutral energy tax credits are paramount. Recent data finds that repealing federal funding and tax credits would reduce our state’s GDP by $2.89 billion in 2030 and $1.8 billion in 2035.

I applaud Representative Ciscomani for standing up against the baseless attempts to discredit the value that these energy tax credits bring to businesses and residents of Arizona, and I encourage you all to share your support with him and other congressional delegates to ensure our freedom of energy choice and economic future is kept in focus. 

John Mitman is the founder of Obodo Energy Partners and board president of AriSEIA.

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Arizona should be a national leader in solar energy. With more than 300 days of sunshine per year, our state is primed to benefit from clean, affordable and decentralized power. But instead of making it easier for homeowners to adopt solar, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is actively working against them.

For years, the ACC has been slashing solar export rates under the Resource Comparison Proxy (RCP), allowing monopoly utilities like Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and APS to buy homeowners’ excess energy at artificially low prices and resell it at full market value. This practice discourages solar adoption, limits energy independence and forces more Arizonans to remain reliant on high-priced utility power.

Regulators should protect consumers, not utilities.

The ACC’s constitutional mandate is to regulate utilities in the public interest, yet its recent policies benefit corporate profits over Arizona homeowners. Every year, the ACC lowers the amount utilities are required to pay for customer-generated solar power, effectively allowing utilities to pocket the difference.

This isn’t about consumer protection; it’s about corporate favoritism. Why should homeowners be paid pennies per kilowatt-hour for the same electricity that utilities turn around and sell for a premium? If utilities claim to support a free market, they should be required to pay fair market value for the energy they purchase, not exploit homeowners who invested in solar.

What needs to change?

Arizona residents deserve better! The ACC must:

Restore fair solar compensation 

Revaluate the RCP ensuring homeowners receive a just market rate for the power they generate. Utilities should not be allowed to profit off private solar production while underpaying customers.

End unnecessary fees and penalties on solar customers

Fix rate structures designed to make solar financially unviable. Arizona should make it easier, not harder, for working people to save money by producing energy.

Increase transparency 

Require utilities to disclose how much solar energy they buy from customers and resell at a markup. The public has a right to know how much utilities are profiting from solar customers’ contributions.

Arizona has the natural resources and demand to be a clean energy leader, but if the ACC continues its anti-solar policies, working people will continue to pay too much for energy. The Commission should be working for Arizona consumers and local independent energy producers, not the huge corporations lobbying against them.

It’s time for action

Arizona’s energy future shouldn’t be dictated by utilities whose primary concern is maximizing shareholder profits. It should be shaped by policies that encourage energy independence, sustainability and fair treatment of consumers.

The ACC has the power to correct course, restore fair compensation, and ensure that Arizona remains at the forefront of the clean energy movement. But if they continue to prioritize monopoly utilities over homeowners, lawmakers and voters must step in to demand real accountability.

The choice is clear: Stand with solar customers, or continue letting corporations rig the system against them.

Sylvia French is an entrepreneur, advocate for sustainable energy, and founder of Sollara Carbon, an Arizona-based company developing carbon nanosheets from biochar for clean energy applications.

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As stewards of God’s creation, it is our duty to protect and preserve the environment for future generations. To that end, the congregation at Desert Garden United Church of Christ recently celebrated the installation of a solar array sized to generate 100% of our church’s energy needs. The transition to solar energy is a step forward in furthering our congregation’s ministries, rooted in faithful action to make a difference.

Our decision to embrace solar energy was driven by a profound sense of responsibility to care for the environment. But the benefits of using solar energy aren’t only to the climate. By generating 100% of our energy needs through solar power, we are projected to save $14,000 annually on electricity costs. These savings, amounting to an estimated $700,000 over the system’s lifespan, will be re-invested back into our community outreach programs, allowing us to further enhance our ministries and positively impact the lives of those in need.

In 2024 alone, our community outreach programs donated over $25,000 and dedicated numerous volunteer hours to support local initiatives, including aiding at-risk youth and assisting homeless seniors in securing housing. One of our notable programs, “Cycles of Kindness,” involves collecting and refurbishing used bicycles to donate to schools in low-income areas and homeless shelters, promoting sustainable transportation and healthy living. Additionally, we host regular citrus gleanings, donating the harvested produce to St. Mary’s Food Bank to combat hunger and food insecurity in our region. We’re excited to increase our work in the community with the cost savings from our new solar array.  

The transition to solar energy was made possible through our partnership with RE-volv, a climate and energy justice nonprofit that provided the necessary financing. Their support, combined with the expertise of Capital Energy, which installed the solar array, has been invaluable. We are also grateful for the encouragement from state Senator Lauren Kuby of District 8, who highlighted that our investment represents proactive movement toward a clean energy future.

Our project benefited from the federal provision, known as Direct Pay, which allows tax-exempt organizations to access the solar investment tax credit. Unfortunately, this tax credit and other critical clean energy programs are currently at risk as Congress negotiates government funding levels. 

Our journey to source alternative energy options for our congregation serves as a testament to what faith communities can achieve when they unite for a common cause. We hope our example inspires other congregations and nonprofits to consider sustainable energy solutions, demonstrating that fiscal prudence and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand. To take this call to action a step further, I prayerfully ask the Arizona congressional delegation to consider this and similar opportunities available to houses of worship across the state and protect federal programs that make these investments possible. 

Bill Utke is a pastor at Desert Garden UCC, Sun City West. 

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Laws that govern the use of land and water in Arizona have not kept up with changing times. And some of the new proposals that have surfaced in our state’s legislature are ill-conceived and short-sighted. 

Rising water and energy costs will force the decline of traditional agriculture in the desert Southwest. But transferring groundwater rights from farmlands to real estate developers is not a sustainable option. Desert living requires desert thinking.

Sharing farmland with solar energy production has proven practical and profitable in Europe, Asia, and Australia––variously named agrisolar, agrivoltaics, and solar sharing. Shade from solar panels reduces evaporative water loss from plants and soil. On hot days, shaded ground also helps to pull heat away from solar panels, producing energy more efficiently. During summer storms, a solar canopy can shelter crops from heavy wind and hail. Farm workers and livestock, too, can benefit from shaded fields. And if a crop fails, farmers can still sell solar energy for a profit.

Japan, where land is at a premium, has already installed nearly 2,000 agrisolar systems. The United States has moved slowly on this front. But several universities and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are now studying the benefits of agrivoltaics in different climates and places. In deserts, for example, some crops do much better than others under solar canopies. University of Arizona biologists found that jalapeno pepper plants produce the same amount of fruit under the panels as those grown out in the open. Yield from tomatoes grown in canopy shade actually doubled, and water use efficiency increased. 

Drought-tolerant crops will also spread in popularity. Dryland plants are packed with chemicals that protect them from intense sun and dry air. Some contain compounds useful in industry and medicine. Plant scientists are focusing on crops that can be sold at high prices, even when the harvest is small. Allergen-free natural rubber (latex), for example, can be extracted from guayule (wy-oo-lee) shrubs, and the demand for it is increasing. By-products from resins in this plant include natural adhesives and insect repellents. Woody left-overs could be converted to biofuel or particle board. 

Irrigation systems are becoming more efficient, and some food crops thrive with little or no irrigation, in soils less favorable for traditional agriculture. Tepary beans, for example, are superbly heat and drought tolerant. This crop has been grown by local indigenous communities for millennia, and these beans are both nutritious and delicious! Another Sonoran Desert native, Palmer saltgrass, also known as nipa (nee-pah), offers great promise as a food crop. It grows wild in coastal wetlands where soils are salty and produces a nutritious grain similar to wheat. Biologists breeding nipa have said that this grass could become the Sonoran Desert’s greatest gift to the world. 

Being well adapted to dry climates, cacti, agaves, and other succulents will assuredly be part of Arizona’s agri-future. The long, strong fibers of Hesperaloe (a floral favorite of hummingbirds) are perfect for making paper. Prickly-pear fruit (“tunas” or “cactus pears”) and the plants’ succulent stems provide foods for both people and livestock. The edible pads (“nopalitos” or “cactus tenders”) can be stir-fried, roasted, or pickled. Cactus tenders are growing in popularity, especially among Mexican Americans. Other cactus products include soaps, shampoos, and lipstick. Some farm economists predict that cacti––recognized by the United Nations as a sustainability superhero––will become a new cash crop in the Southwest. And planting thickets of native prickly-pear on “retired” farmland is a quick and inexpensive way to control erosion and restore wildlife habitat.

Developers and their political allies who continue to push the “growth-is-good”

agenda in Arizona need a reality check. And I commend Gov. Katie Hobbs for vetoing bills that would jeopardize Arizona’s sustainable water supplies.  

Approximately 86% of Arizona’s population lives within the Sonoran Desert region, so thoughtful planning is vital for Arizona’s future. Take, for example, the Gila River Indian Community’s newly completed solar-over-canals pilot project funded by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. Covering aqueducts with solar panels reduces evaporative water loss and the growth of aquatic weeds. Solar energy production benefits too—proximity to canal water helps to cool the panels. A double win––Bravo!

Thomas Wiewandt is a field ecologist and educational media producer who graduated with a MS in Zoology from the University of Arizona and a PhD in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Cornell.

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