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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
EPA; regional offices; move
Purpose
States that the Legislature prays that the President of the United States and the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) address the impacts of EPA Region 9 on Arizona by strongly considering the adoption of outlined strategies and seeking to establish a local satellite office for the EPA region in Phoenix.
Background
The EPA is an agency of the United States with the mission of ensuring that: 1) Americans have clean air, land and water; 2) national efforts to reduce environmental risks are based on the best available scientific information; 3) federal laws protecting human health and the environment are administered and enforced fairly, effectively and as Congress intended; and 4) contaminated lands and toxic sites are cleaned up and revitalized. To accomplish this mission, the EPA develops and enforces regulations, awards grants, studies environmental issues and sponsors partnerships (EPA: Our Mission).
Currently, the EPA has 10 regions across the United States, each with a regional office which is responsible for the execution of the EPA's programs. The EPA Region 9 office is located in San Francisco, California and serves Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and other U.S. territories. EPA Region 6 is comprised of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas with a regional office in Dallas, Texas. EPA Region 8 is comprised of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming with a regional office in Denver, Colorado (EPA: Regional and Geographic Offices).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. States that the Legislature prays:
a) that the President of the United States and the Administrator of the EPA address the impacts of EPA Region 9 on Arizona by strongly considering adopting one of the following strategies, in the order of preference:
i. move the EPA Region 9 office from California to Arizona;
ii. move Arizona from EPA Region 9 to EPA Region 6 and establish a local office in Arizona;
iii. move Arizona from EPA Region 9 to EPA Region 8 and establish a local office in Arizona; or
iv. establish a new EPA region in the Intermountain West consisting of Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Utah and establish a local office in Arizona; and
b) that, in addition to selecting a preferred strategy, the President of the United States and the EPA Administrator seek to accomplish the following:
i. establishing and staffing a dedicated, local satellite office for the new relevant EPA region in Phoenix;
ii. appointing to the head of such office an individual from within the appropriate region who will be given a meaningful and prominent position in leadership, with authority and discretion to make decisions on critical regulatory matters, permits and plans that affect Arizona such as a director or deputy regional administrator or an equivalent role; and
iii. work with state, local and tribal governments, stakeholders, businesses and members of the regulated community in Arizona to help identify and vet potential candidates for such a role.
2. Directs the Secretary of State to transmit copies of the memorial to the President of the United States and the Administrator of the EPA.
House Action
NREW 2/4/25 DP 6-4-0-0
3rd Read 2/20/25 33-26-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 7, 2025
SB/slp