ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session
	House: DP NREW 6-4-0-0

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HCM 2008: EPA; regional offices; move

Sponsor: Representative Willoughby, LD 13

House Engrossed

Overview

Urges the United States federal government to either move the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regional office to Arizona or move Arizona to a different region.

History

The EPA is tasked with protecting human health and the environment. When Congress enacts an environmental law, EPA implements it by writing regulations that serve as the standards for each state (or that apply across the country). The EPA also distributes grants to state environmental programs, non-profits, educational institutions and others (EPA).

EPA Region 9's office is located in San Francisco, California and serves Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands and 148 Tribal Nations.

EPA Region 8's office is located in Denver, Colorado and serves Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 28 Tribal Nations

Provisions

1. Urges the President of the United States and the EPA Director to either:

a) move Arizona from EPA Region 9 to Region 8; or

b) move the EPA Region 9 office to Arizona.

2. Requests the Arizona Secretary of State to transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States and the EPA Director.

3. Provides the name "Pacific Southwest Region" to EPA Region 9's description.

4. Adds that the average office rental asking price in Phoenix, AZ is less than half of that in San Francisco, CA.

5. Names the Maricopa County Air Quality Department and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) as stakeholders that interact with the EPA Region 9 office.

6. Outlines that current regulatory processes require extensive communication between ADEQ and the EPA. Further details how Arizona's air and water quality challenged requires timely responses and that coordination between ADEQ and EPA is often inefficient.

7. Provides that the state's unique environmental challenges differ from the other state in EPA region 9.

8. Outlines the prior existence of the dedicated satellite office in Tucson, Arizona and how a local liaison would help bridge the gap between Arizona and the EPA.

9. Adds a new list of strategies to consider in the request from action from the US President and the EPA administrator.

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13.                   HCM 2008

14. Initials CW          Page 0 House Engrossed

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