Chad Campbell

Conservation groups press case for wolves, parks, renewable energy

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[Source: Kimberleigh Holsclaw, Cronkite News] – Arizonans want state lawmakers to take action on environmental issues such as protecting the endangered Mexican gray wolf, supporting state parks and promoting renewable energy, the leader of a conservation group said Tuesday.

“Unfortunately the Arizona Legislature has not been supportive, or nearly as supportive of those programs, as it should be,” said Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter.

Scores of environmentalists from around Arizona joined Bahr for Environmental Day at the Capitol.

Bahr said numerous bills this session would undermine what the group supports, including a measure that would authorize state employees and ranchers to shoot Mexican gray wolves that prey on livestock.

SB 1211, authored by Sen. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, won committee approval and was awaiting a vote by the full Senate. “That’s irresponsible and certainly is contrary to federal law,” Bahr said.

Kevin Dahl, senior program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, traveled from Tucson to share his concerns about bills such as SB 1212, also authored by Griffin, that would appropriate $250,000 for litigation over the Mexican gray wolf recovery program. That bill also was awaiting a vote by the full Senate. “Unfortunately it seems like a portion of the Republican Party has taken over, and their anti-government message destroys anything that the government is doing positive to protect our environment,” Dahl said.

Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said that many issues at the Legislature relate directly or indirectly to the environment. “I obviously support the environment, be it the water we drink, the air we breath, concerns about forest safety and health,” he said.

Rep. Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, the House minority leader, said the Legislature erred by decreasing funding for state parks and eliminating the voter-approved Heritage Fund, which dispersed lottery proceeds for conservation, historic preservation and other projects. “They are vital programs that provide an economic boost to rural areas in particular and we have kind of dropped the ball on them,” he said.

Carol Tepper, a Tucson resident attending her first Environmental Day, said it was her obligation as citizen who cares about the environment to make her voice heard. “I feel like there is a constituency for the environment from all over the state,” she said.

Over 200 Arizonans rally for parks and conservation at Environmental Day at the Capitol

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[Source: Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club 2-1-2010] — Today at the Arizona State Capitol, more than 25 groups and over 200 people rallied for Arizona State Parks.  Speakers at the rally included House Minority Whip, Representative Chad Campbell; State Parks Board Chair, Reese Woodling; Richard Dozer, Chairman, Governor’s Sustainable State Parks Task Force; Bill Meek, Chairman, Arizona State Parks Foundation; and Elizabeth Woodin, President, Arizona Heritage Alliance.  They all focused on the challenges to the parks, but importantly, on what everyone can do to help save the State Parks and the State Parks system.

Arizona State Parks’ system consists of 27 parks and three natural areas and includes places such as Homolovi Ruins, the Tubac Presidio, Lost Dutchman State Park, Kartchner Caverns, among many others.  Recently, the State Parks Board voted to close 13 of these parks due to the lack of operational funding.  Four additional parks had previously closed: Jerome State Historic Park, McFarland State Historic Park, Oracle State Park, and the San Rafael Natural Area.  By mid-year 2010, more than half of our State Park system will be closed and, without additional funding, nine more parks will likely close later this year.

The parks are closing because the Arizona Legislature has left them with almost no operational dollars.  Arizona State Parks has had no increase in operating funds since 2002, a limited capital budget since 2003, and unmet capital needs of $150 million.  The agency currently stands at a 40 percent personnel vacancy rate.  The latest cuts by the Legislature will mean the loss of 70 more positions.  At parks where law enforcement, public safety, and water safety must be provided, reductions in staff means those parks must close.  State Parks was prepared to limp along with a seasonal park system on $19 million of revenue composed mainly of the enhancement fund (park entrance fees), state lake improvement fund (gas and usage tax), and lottery revenues (Heritage Fund).  However, the Arizona Legislature diverted and swept away about half of that, leaving State Parks with almost no source of operating funds.

“These 30 exceptional places have been conserved over the past half century for the recreational, environmental, and cultural enjoyment of all Arizonans,” said Sandy Bahr with the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter.  “They represent our history and our future.  We must do better as stewards of these amazing resources.”

Arizona only state without state park system?

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[Source: Steve Bodinet, NewsChannel 3] — Due to the budget crisis, could Arizona soon be the only state without a state park system?  Interviews with a state parks official and members of Arizona’s House of Representatives. [Note: To view the news segment, visit Arizona only state without state park system?]

House kills measure that would re-open Arizona state parks on full-time basis

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Arizona State House of Representatives (Phoenix, Arizona) by courthouselover.
Arizona House of Representatives (Photo source: courthouselover, Flickr)

[Source: Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services] — The state House lawmakers killed legislation Tuesday that would have provided money to reopen state parks on a full-time basis. A total of 36 legislators voted for the measure that would have taken $20 million from a special account designed to deal with urban sprawl and given some of that to the state Parks Board to compensate for cuts in the agency’s budget made by lawmakers in January.   But HB 2088 needed 45 votes because the fund was created by voters in 1998.  And the Arizona Constitution requires a three-fourths margin of the 60-member House — and the 30-member Senate — to alter what voters have approved.

Deputy Parks Director Jay Zieman said Tuesday’s action means five parks will remain closed two days a week to save money. It also delays the reopening of three other parks that were shuttered entirely, at least in part to cut costs.   The defeat came when every House Democrat except one refused to support the measure.

Rep. Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, said he was sympathetic to the needs of the Parks Department.  But he questioned the legality of the move.  He pointed out that the constitution forbids lawmakers from tinkering with any program approved by voters. He said the only exception, even with a three-fourths margin, is when a change “furthers the purpose’ of the underlying measure.  In this case, he said voters approved providing $20 million a year for 11 years to help purchase or lease state trust lands in urban areas to keep them out of the hands of developers.  Funding the operation of parks, said Campbell, does not do that.  He also said raiding voter-approved funds sets a “bad precedent.”

None of that placated Zieman.  “We expect to have $98 million in that fund at the end of the fiscal year,’ he said.  “It is maddening to be in a position where you’re closing parks’ because 30 percent of the staff has been let go.

The state has closed Tonto, McFarland and Jerome state parks, though some of the reason they were chosen because of work that needs to be done at each site.  What was not anticipated was the need to go to a five-day-a-week schedule at six other parks: Fort Verde, Oracle, Tombstone Courthouse, Tubac Presidio, Yuma Territorial Prison, and the Yuma Quartermaster Depot.  The state is saving money by chaining them closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Aside from the closures and reduced schedules, Zieman said his agency also has suspended funding grants, even in cases where groups had been given the go-ahead and work had been started.

Rep. Warde Nichols, R-Gilbert, who crafted the legislation, said the move made sense not to tap the funds which “are doing absolutely nothing for our state right now.”  One reason there is so much money in the account because the 1998 law requires that taxpayer funds be matched by other sources, whether public or private.  Those matching funds have not materialized. Beyond that, Nichols said the economy has slowed development to the point where builders are not buying up large swaths of state land.  And Nichols said the funding is just a loan: The legislation would have required the state to put back the $20 million in the future.

But Rep. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, said that payback is not guaranteed, as future lawmakers could simply vote to ignore the mandate. [Note: To read the full article, click here.  To read the Camp Verde Bugle’s editorial on this subject, click here.]