Amy Dominguez, amy.dominguez@sierraclub.org
ARIZONA – Today a Maricopa County Superior Court ruling dealt a significant blow to Salt River Project's (SRP) proposed expansion of the gas-fired Coolidge Generating Station by affirming the decision of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to deny a certificate of environmental compatibility, a permit that considers the environmental impacts of the Pinal County plant. The proposed Coolidge Expansion Project would exacerbate the already poor air quality Pinal residents experience, and disproportionately affect the nearby historic Black community of Randolph that bears a significant pollution burden.
Today's ruling upholds the Commission's 4-1 decision which found that the Coolidge Expansion Project would have had significant negative environmental impacts on the Randolph community, that SRP failed to adequately consider where there are viable alternatives to the project that would meet the demand for electric power, and that the proposed project was not in the public interest.
The decision is the latest in a long drawn out process by SRP to challenge the ACC's vote last April denying the certificate of environmental compatibility for the project. In May, SRP filed a request for rehearing of the Commission's decision and in June, the Commission denied the request for rehearing, reaffirming its denial of the Coolidge Project. In July, SRP filed with the Maricopa County Superior Court.
A strong public record during the siting process for the proposed project demonstrated overwhelming community concern, especially from the Randolph community that already disproportionately experiences pollution from the existing gas plant, and other industrial sources nearby. Randolph residents have been outspoken against the project, traveling to the ACC, speaking at meetings, leading rallies, submitting comments, and developing and signing petitions.
"The Superior Court made the right decision by affirming the denial of the certificate of environmental compatibility for the Coolidge Expansion Project," said Sandy Bahr, Director of the Sierra Club's Grand Canyon Chapter. "SRP is doing its best to overturn this outcome, but ratepayers and Randolph residents have been outspoken in their calls for a clean energy transition and environmental justice, and the Superior Court recognized that today."
"While we're pleased with the Superior Court's decision to uphold denial for the certificate for a project that is environmentally unjust and disproportionately harms Randolph residents by worsening air pollution, noise, and light pollution, we know that SRP will only continue to drag out this process in the hopes of reversing the outcome," said life-long Randolph resident, Jeff Jordan. "We're prepared to see this through, and plan to continue to push back on the Coolidge expansion project that would cause our community significant harm."
"The Arizona Corporation Commission saw what Randolph residents see every day -- this proposed polluting gas plant would impose additional harm in a community that has already experienced significant environmental racism -- and we are pleased that the court has recognized that," said Constance Hunsberger Jackson, President of the Pinal County NAACP Branch. "While this fight is not over, this is an important affirmation that the voices of Randolph residents are beginning to be heard."
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About the Pinal County NAACP
The NAACP mission is to achieve equity, political rights, and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.