REFERENCE TITLE: Navajo generating station; PROMISE Act

State of Arizona Senate Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session 2020

SCM 1002

Introduced by Senators Peshlakai: Alston, Bowie, Bradley, Contreras, Dalessandro, Gonzales, Mendez, Navarrete, Quezada, Rios, Steele; Representatives Andrade, Jermaine, Pawlik, Teller

 

A CONCURRENT MEMORIAL

 

urging the united states congress to enact the Providing recovery opportunities and Mitigating Industry's shifting economics (PRomise) act.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

To the Congress of the United States of America:

Your memorialist respectfully represents:

Whereas, the Navajo Generating Station (NGS) was chartered by an act of the United States Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson as a coal‑fired electric generating station in northern Arizona on land leased from the Navajo Nation; and

Whereas, the NGS was built to provide power to the pumps of the Central Arizona Project and is the only coal-fired electric generating station in the nation of which the United States government is a financial partner or owner; and

Whereas, the NGS ceased operations in December 2019 and will be decommissioned; and

Whereas, the closing of the NGS affects the entire State of Arizona, with the heaviest impacts across the northern counties of this state and the tribal nations of the same region; and

Whereas, recognizing the federal government's role in building the NGS and the impact of the closure on the economy of the NGS service area and the region, Representative Tom O'Halleran (AZ-1) has authored H.R. 4318, the PROMISE Act (Providing Recovery Opportunities & Mitigating Industry's Shifting Economics), which will provide significant federal resources to the Navajo Nation and the region; and

Whereas, H.R. 4318 authorizes a large investment of funding to dually fund the public entities and tribal governments affected by the closure and help prepare and transition the economy of the region; and

Whereas, the closure of the NGS will bring a significant challenge to the lives and economic well-being of the people and local and tribal governments of the region, as well as the State of Arizona.

Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:

1.  That the United States Congress pass H.R. 4318, the Providing Recovery Opportunities & Mitigating Industry's Shifting Economics (PROMISE) Act.

2.  That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.