Members of the Arizona House last week voted down a bill that would shield the state’s utilities from liability if their equipment causes a wildfire.
The measure is getting a second chance.
The measure would strip homeowners and insurance companies of much of their current ability to recover damages from a utility found responsible for starting a wildfire.
Lawmakers who voted it down last week criticized the fact that it barred fire victims from filing class-action lawsuits, and would have prevented businesses and homeowners from recovering extra compensation, like lost wages.
Utilities like Arizona Public Service back the measure. As it stands, the bill would require power companies to identify and manage wildfire risk and consult with fire officials.
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Mayes first filed a lawsuit against the park last year. She said management didn’t tell residents about a faulty electrical system, which led to frequent power outages during dangerous summer heat. -
Tonto National Forest will be closing Canyon Lake later next month so the Bureau of Reclamation and SRP can conduct dam safety inspections and maintenance. -
Coal-fired power generation jumped 13% in the U.S. last year, according to a recent report from the federal Energy Information Administration. That helped push carbon emissions from the power sector up about 4% — the first rise after years of declining emissions. -
Residents were unanimous in their call for a ban on data centers, but city staff say that would likely be prohibited under state law. -
Commissioners voted to repeal the rules in July, stating that they had expired and the utilities had exceeded their target. Mayes contends the 2020 deadline was a target, not an official expiration.
