This month, Arizona’s Department of Environmental Quality is rolling out an expanded version of an online map that shows permits in process throughout the state.
“This really was a reaction to comments that I heard from community members who were concerned that in order for them to know what was happening with the facility in their community,” said Deputy Director Karen Peters, “they had to do a public records request. And I thought, well, that's just not appropriate. They ought to be able to just look online.”
She said the tool is updated daily and accessible on mobile devices.
“The data is available, it's accurate, it's timely and we'll be able to see how people are using it,” Peters said. “I'm hopeful that it'll reflect in the input that we get regarding these permits and maybe fewer public records requests.”
While an online map of water permits has been available, Peters said they’ve expanded to include data on air quality and waste programs.
“Any member of the community can understand what's happening down the street or, you know, 5 miles away,” she said, adding that making the map user-friendly and available on mobile devices were also top priorities.
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The plan would consolidate research leadership — currently dispersed across the country — in Fort Collins, Colo., while closing laboratories in Montana, Utah and Nevada. -
Mexican gray wolves are one of the smallest wolf species in the world and among the most endangered. The animal’s habitat once spanned the mountains of central Mexico, up to southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico and southwest Texas.
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Winter in Phoenix never looks like a snow playground. But that’s why so many of us head north up the I-17 to Flagstaff when the weather turns cold for some skiing, snow shoeing or sledding. -
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service will move from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City. -
The U.S Department of the Interior says fire danger in Arizona is above average due to warm and dry conditions. The elevated fire danger goes through June.
