Environmental and Natural Resources

Governor Ducey’s July Surprise for Key Sunsetting Arizona Environmental Programs

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Lucas J. Narducci and Amanda Reeve There is no question that the Coronavirus Disease 19 (“COVID-19”) pandemic has been taking its toll on public health, and it is doing so in more ways than some folks may be aware. … Continue reading →

Tagged Arizona, COVID-19, Ducey, Executive Order, sunset, Voluntary Remediation Program, VRP

Utah Division of Water Rights Announces New Tool to Track Status of Change Applications

Posted on June 23, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Graham J. Gilbert On June 22, 2020, the Utah Division of Water Rights (also referred to as the State Engineer’s Office) released a new tool to assist with tracking permanent water right change applications. Change applications propose modifications to … Continue reading →

Tagged Change Application, Division of Water Rights, State Engineer’s Office, Utah, water rights

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: AZ Drought Contingency Plan Stakeholders Recruited for Next Phase of Colorado River Work

Posted on June 19, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Fred Breedlove On Thursday, June 25, 2020, Arizona’s Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan (“LBDCP”) Steering Committee (aka the “Drought Contingency Plan Committee”) is scheduled to reconvene and take on a new name and a new task. The LBDCP will … Continue reading →

Tagged Arizona Reconsultation Committee, drought contingency plan

Wastewater Flows Can Predict COVID-19 Spread

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Patrick Paul As we reported previously, researchers at Arizona State University in Tempe have been evaluating the possible link between wastewater and the spread of the coronavirus in local communities. Similar research is also being conducted in Northern Arizona … Continue reading →

Tagged COVID, NAU, sewage, Wastewater

States Challenge EPA’s COVID-19 Enforcement Policy

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Patrick Paul, Chris Colyer, Michael Ford In prior blogs (available here and here), we’ve reported on changes to certain federal and state environmental enforcement policies related to COVID-19. In a nutshell, these policies essentially clarified the enforcement priorities of … Continue reading →

Tagged ADEQ, enforcement, EPA

FAA Issues Emergency Waiver Allowing Drone Delivery of Medical Supplies

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Patrick J. Paul Having recently been granted an emergency Part 107 waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration, Novant Health, Inc., a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system headquartered in North Carolina, in partnership with San Francisco-based drone delivery company, Zipline, has … Continue reading →

Tagged BVOS drone delivery, COVID-19, emergency waiver, FAA, Zipline

Ninth Circuit Wetlands Ruling Muddies the Waters for Development Nationwide

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by John W. Andrews On Thursday, May 28, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declined to stay on appeal a lower court ruling which has already had a nationwide impact on permitting of oil and gas … Continue reading →

Tagged 404 Permits, nationwide permits, NWP 12, oil and gas, Waters of the United States

Impact of COVID–19 on Energy and Infrastructure Projects in Arizona and the West: Disruption, Slowdowns, Uncertainty and Virtual Open Houses

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Matt Derstine With states now modifying their stay-at-home orders and social distancing restrictions, the long-term effects of the Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic on energy and infrastructure projects remains unclear. But there have been several immediate impacts ranging from supply chain … Continue reading →

Tagged coronavirus, COVID-19, energy, renewable energy, solar

President Declares National Emergency: Foreign Adversaries Creating Vulnerability in U.S. Electric Grid

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Kelly A. Daly On May 1, 2020, President Trump declared a national emergency relating to threats facing the bulk-electric power system in the United States. Specifically, the President issued Executive Order on Securing the United States Bulk-Power System, which … Continue reading →

Tagged electric grid, Executive Order, national emergency, trump

WOTUS Redefined: The New Definition of Waters of the United States

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Chris Colyer

by Farris J. Gillman On April 21, 2020, the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalized a new definition of waters of the United States (sometimes called “WOTUS”). This new definition has fundamental implications for the application of point … Continue reading →

Tagged clean water act, federalism, navigable waters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Waters of the United States, wetlands, WOTUS

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