Thanks to you, we beat SB 1547, which would have drastically reduced local input regarding interstate transmission lines like SunZia. Unfortunately though, SunZia is still trying to limit our right to be heard. The basic concept of 1547 has been resurrected by SunZia as SB 1517.

As of March 20, the legislative website shows SB 1517 as a bill about animal cruelty, but everything regarding animals has been struck out and replaced by provisions that could allow SunZia to evade going through the Arizona Line Siting Committee process.

Basically, SB 1517 changes existing law so that the Arizona Corporation Commission does not have to refer interstate transmission cases to the Line Siting Committee. It does not require that any public testimony be taken, and it does not guarantee an opportunity for the public to intervene. We are asking you to help protect Arizonans’ right to speak out on projects like SunZia.

At 2:00 PM tomorrow, March 21, the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hear testimony on SB 1517. The Cascabel Working Group will send written comments, which are attached.

We want to keep this bill from ever passing out of Committee to the full House. You can help us. We ask that you take a moment to call members of the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee tomorrow morning and ask them to vote “No” on SB 1517. Tell them to protect Arizona’s full process and the right to local input on large projects like SunZia.

Frank Pratt, chairman, especially important, District 23 fpratt@azleg.gov phone: 926-5761 fax: 417-3023

Brenda Barton , District 5 bbarton@azleg.gov phone: 926-4129 fax: 417-3010

Kate Brophy McGee, District 11 kbrophymcgee@azleg.gov phone: 926-4486 fax: 417-3170

Karen Fann, District 1 kfann@azleg.gov phone: 926-5874 fax: 417-3001

Peggy Judd, District 25 pjudd@azleg.gov phone: 926-5836 fax: 417-3125

Daniel Patterson, (Already committed to vote against this) District 29 dpatterson@azleg.gov phone: 926-5342 fax: 417-3169

Amanda A. Reeve, District 6 areeve@azleg.gov phone: 926-3014 fax: 417-3048

Macario Saldate IV, District 27 msaldate@azleg.gov phone: 926-4171 fax: 417-3162

Bruce Wheeler, District 28 bwheeler@azleg.gov phone: 926-3300 fax: 417-3028

Thank you,
Pearl Mast
Chet Phillips
Co-chairs, Cascabel Working Group