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Committed to Our Communities

Chad Kew, left, and Cody McWilliams monitor new emissions technology at Apache Station. We continue to refine solutions to comply with environmental regulations, including our ongoing plan to reduce mercury emissions while keeping costs as low as possible. This equipment gathers data that was critical to renewing our operating permit.

Arizona G&T Cooperatives:

  • Continue to diversify our energy portfolio
  • Generate power from
    • Natural gas
    • Coal
    • Solar
  • Manage distributing hydropower to Members from Hoover Dam

We’re exploring:

  • Transmitting wind energy from eastern New Mexico to Apache Station
  • Analyzing battery technology to make intermittent solar and wind generation more:
    • Cost-effective
    • Reliable

Apache Station’s Operating Permit

Apache Station’s current 5-year operating permit:

  • Is from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
  • Will be in effect through 2023
  • Specifies how we will comply with state and federal regulatory:
    • Emissions
    • Monitoring
    • Technology
    • Reporting standards

Although the permitting process was open to public comment, no opposition was filed to the renewed application.

A Strong Commitment to the Environment

To our Member/owners, we remain committed to balancing environmental stewardship with our mission to provide reliable affordable electricity.

  • We have spent millions of dollars to comply with environmental regulations
  • Our structure explains why we maintain such a strong commitment to the environment

While most utilities are owned by outside investors, Arizona G&T Cooperatives is different.

  • Consumers own our Member cooperatives
  • Member electric distribution co-ops own and control us

The environment needs to be protected because:

  • Our employees live in the communities we serve
  • We live here too

One sign of our commitment to the environment can be seen at our Apache Station Wildlife Viewing Area, which the public is invited to enjoy.

Environmental Compliance Never Ends

Federal regulatory agencies in Washington, D.C., routinely ask for comments on:

  • New regulations of changes
  • Regulations that impact the electric industry

This is an opportune time to recommend changes that provide:

  • Flexibility
  • Compliance alternatives

Over time, we have submitted multiple sets of comments comprising thousands of pages of material including proposed rural changes to:

  • Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS)
  • Endangered Species Act
  • The National Environmental Policy Act and
  • 2 proposed bills—the Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator Act in the House, and the Clean Energy for America Act in the Senate

What is a “Comment”?

Agencies receive their authority to provide and issue rules under their jurisdiction from laws passed by Congress. Steps involved in rule making:

1st Step

The agency drafts a proposed new rule or changes to an existing rule. Other federal regulatory agencies review it.

2nd Step

The Federal Register publishes the proposed rule or changes to an existing rule (giving the public anywhere from 30 to 90 days to comment).

We begin to:

  • Evaluate the proposed action
  • Decide if technical studies or tests are necessary to incorporate into written comments

The agency holds public hearings on the proposed action

3rd Step

Typically, thousands of comments are submitted:

  • From interested stakeholders (including AEPCO)
  • To the docket for the agency’s consideration

4th Step

The agency:

  • May incorporate or reject positions taken by stakeholders in submitted comments
  • Publishes the final rule in the Federal Register and the rule goes into effect

5th Step

We:

  • Develop a Compliance timeline
  • Develop an implementation plan
  • Document and monitor compliance

The final rule can be challenged in court.