Legislative Update
The 2022 legislative session began on January 10th. Gail Griffin proposed HCR2024 declaring the State to be opposed to the Biden Administration's 30X30 initiative. Members of the PPC have stated our objection to this Continuing Resolution via the Request to Speak (RTS) system. We also lodged our support for SCR1010 which states the value of outdoor recreation to Arizonans via the RTS. Nate and the PPC membership are meeting with AZ legislators during the 2022 Session. Camo at the Capitol will be February 3rd. TU and the AZ Wildlife Federation will both have booths with activities on the AZ Capitol lawn. Please contact Nate Rees if you are interested in participating at nathan.rees@tu.org
Ed Sanchez - Legislative Liaison for AZGFD
At our December meeting, Ed Sanchez from AZGFD shared with us some of the Department's legislative priorities for 2022. Here are a few of the highlights:
He started with identifying the top 3 priorities for the Government Affairs Committee of AZGFD as follows:
1) Ensure State & Commission authority,
2) Approve the AZGFD annual budget, and
3) Maintain relationships with State legislators, the staff of the majority and minority leaders, and committee members.
He spoke about the AZGFD's (Department's) fiscal 2022 budget and noted that there was $2.6 million for Habitat Improvements in last year’s budget and is hopeful the current year budget will have $1.4 million for drought contingency. The drought contingency money is targeted for a helicopter, truck and a trailer for hauling water, and for the purchase of sport fish. The AZGFD has an annual goal to deliver approximately 700,000 pounds of sport fish to 118 locations around the state.
He noted that HR Bill No. 2408 passed unanimously on January 5, 2022 to continue the operation of the Department. The Department will be working through February 18, 2022 to complete the sunset review which is up for renewal every 10 years. (Governmental departments such as AZGFD must be approved every 10 years, or they are "sunset".)
A new AZGFD Commissioner will be appointed by the Governor in the February/March 2022 timeframe.
The AZGFD legislative day is scheduled for Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at the Rose Garden near the Capital from 8:00 to 11:00 am with the 20-minute virtual event starting at 11:00 am. This year’s theme is “Drought”.
He noted a few of the Department’s actions at the federal level as follows:
1) Maintain relationships with federal and state legislators and tribes,
2) The Department is hopeful that $82 million will be appropriated in the new budget for wildlife issues,
3) There are 3 key organizations the Department focuses on: 1) the Arizona delegation, 2) the House Natural Resources Committee, 2) and the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee.
4) Maintain relationships with AWFA (Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies),
5) He believes RAWA (Recovering America’s Wildlife Act) is a good Act to get passed and support is building. The funding piece is in the Senate.
6) Monitor the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act
7) Legislator Roger’s bill discounts hunting and fishing license fees for vets: the Department opposes discounting fees in favor of donated tags.
8) AZGFD provides a Legislative tracker every Friday during the session.
We are extremely grateful for the work done by AZGFD and for our on-going partnership.
Glenn Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Plan
- Jim Strogen
Also at our December meeting, Jim reported on the Glenn Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Plan annual reporting meetings that he attended earlier this month. He mentioned the project promotes a healthy river corridor using dam temperature control devices, dissolved oxygen mitigation, bug flows, and warm water predators. He mentioned that the Spring Disturbance Flow which occurred in March 2021 had a very favorable impact on the Lee’s Ferry leaches, vegetation and bug life.
Upcoming Events
January Meeting, Thursday, February 10th at 7:00 PM: Our guest speaker will be Haley Paul. Haley is the Policy Director for Audubon Arizona. She will be sharing the organization's legislative priorities for the current session and how the AZ-TU PPC can collaborate with Audubon and the Western Rivers Action Network.
2022 PPC Strategy Summit, February 5 from 9:00 to 1:00: We will be holding our PPC Annual Strategy Summit on Saturday, February 5th. Our Keynote Speaker will be Trevor Baggiore, the Director of Water Quality at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Trevor and his team will share with us what they learned in the process of drafting and stewarding the Surface Water Protection Act, which was signed by the Governor last summer; where they are in formalizing the Protected Surface Water List; how the Biden Administration's reversal of the Navigable Waters Rule and the return to the 2015 Rule will affect AZ; and what they see for the future of surface water in AZ. The location is the Audubon Center. Please contact Tom Osterday at publicpolicychair@zanegreytu.org if you would like to attend.
PPC Meeting Schedule Change
The PPC decided to move our meetings from the second Tuesday of the month to the second Thursday of the month to avert a conflict with the Arizona Flycasters Club meetings and allow our members to participate in both.
