Grand Canyon Times

State lawmakers are launching a study committee to examine recent local efforts attempting compliance with air quality standards set forth by the federal government. 

In the coming weeks, the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Air Quality and Energy will convene to gather information from experts and the public about local recommendations on rulemaking determinations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on ozone nonattainment. The study committee will hear testimony and consider evidence on every angle, from sources of ozone and efforts to mitigate such sources, to the impacts of these mandates on Arizona families, workers, industries, consumer products and the economy, as well as the practicality of achieving recommended proposals and a variety of other issues deemed relevant to the investigation. The study committee will then produce a report that will be submitted to both the Senate President and the Speaker of the House before the end of the year.

This study committee will be comprised of five elected members from the Senate and five members from the House. Senator Sine Kerr and Representative Gail Griffin, chairs of the Senate and House Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Water, will serve as co-chairs to the new joint committee. Additional members will be appointed by President Warren Petersen and Speaker Ben Toma soon. 

"While we strive to be proactive in protecting our environment, we certainly won't blindly implement air quality policy dictated by the federal government without thorough investigation," said Senator Kerr. "We want to make sure the EPA's requirements are realistic and won't cause hardships for our residents, for our economy, or infringe on freedoms, as with what has so far transpired in California."

"Arizona has natural occurrences of ozone such as from native vegetation and wildfires that we have absolutely no control over," said Representative Griffin. "We also receive significant ozone transports from Mexico and other states that need to be accounted for in federal models. We all want clean air, and I am looking forward to working with everyone on solutions."

View original press release here.