Amy Dominguez, Sierra Club, amy.dominguez@sierraclub.org
ARIZONA – Sierra Club has filed a suit against Arizona utility Salt River Project (SRP) in the Superior Court of Arizona for violating Arizona's Public Records Act by withholding critical information about the utility's power generation and planning process. SRP's lack of transparency harms Arizona's communities, eroding trust customers may have had in their utility.
In 2021 and 2022, Sierra Club made requests to inspect records held by SRP concerning the Integrated System Planning (ISP) process that includes short- and long-term resource planning for projected electricity needs, and the Coolidge gas plant expansion that would disproportionately impact the nearby historic Black community of Randolph. Since these requests were made last September and October, SRP has had ample time to produce these records that to this day have been wrongfully withheld.
This is not the first time that SRP has claimed it is not subject to Arizona's Public Records Act, but its refusal to provide records now has come at a critical time, on the heels of its announced plans to build 16 new gas units at its power plant in Coolidge, Arizona that would harm surrounding communities living in close proximity to the plant, such as Randolph residents, irresponsibly raising costs for unknowing customers, and exacerbating the climate crisis. In April, the Arizona Corporation Commission voted 4 to 1 to reject SRP's proposal, and in May, SRP filed for a rehearing.
“As a public body, SRP is required to make all public records available for inspection by members of the public, and their lack of compliance dismisses the needs of customers and communities to have the information they need to effectively advocate for the clean energy future they deserve,” said Sandy Bahr, Director for Sierra Club's Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter. “SRP's actions make it abundantly clear why a people-centered campaign is needed to champion transparency, accountability, and clean, renewable energy. SRP should immediately produce all of the public records requested."
“It's incredibly important to bring cases like this one to forward to make sure that electricity providers are transparent and held accountable,” said Sam Schnarch, Attorney for the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest representing Sierra Club. “SRP's ratepayers have a right to know how their electricity is generated, and the people of Arizona and communities like Randolph should have the information they need to weigh in on those decisions. SRP's attempts to dodge accountability under the Public Records Act are flagrantly illegal, and their lack of transparency can only harm the residents and environments of Arizona."
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.