“Last year, fellow legislators and public health officials called on the EPA to reduce air and water pollution from the Apache Generating Station in Cochise County, which uses coal and natural gas. The Station had committed 41 Clean Air Act violations over five years and daily water usage measured 1.6 million gallons. People are suffering from respiratory illnesses because of dirty power plants, and with Arizona’s drought condition we can’t afford fossil fuel power plants misusing this precious resource. In 2020, Arizona’s top 10 most climate-polluting plants were responsible for 82.6% of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from the power sector despite only generating 45.3% of total electricity. As a veteran, I know the climate crisis has caused instability and wars. We need to stop greenhouse gas pollution that continues to fuel climate change. This is a national security issue. The EPA should enact the strongest possible limits on carbon dioxide pollution from new and existing power plants.”

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Former Arizona State Representative Richard C. Andrade, District 29, Glendale, Arizona