Article Summary –
Arizona’s upcoming ballot includes a vote for the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), crucial for overseeing utilities. The current ACC stance supports fossil fuel reliance and disproportionally affects minority communities through higher energy costs and health impacts. Advocates urge voters to demand change for more equitable and sustainable energy policies.
Arizona’s ballot this November will feature many choices, including selecting three candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). The ACC, though not widely known, plays a crucial role in overseeing utility companies, influencing decisions on electricity prices and pollution levels affecting our daily lives.
We, as leaders of Our Voice, Our Vote Arizona and Chispa Arizona, advocate for Arizona’s Black, Latine, and Indigenous communities, who pay more for electricity and face higher rates of lung disease and heat-related illness due to pollution.
Our Representatives and High Energy Bills
Arizonans face the nation’s highest summer energy bills, averaging $235 monthly. Many low-income families struggle to receive federal cooling assistance, and the Phoenix Salvation Army’s utility hotline often runs out of funds during the summer.
The ACC’s five commissioners approve utility rate increases, rarely denying requests even when opposed by consumer advocates, enabling utilities to gain record profits while Arizona families bear the costs.
Impact on Communities of Color
Fossil fuel plants often target historically redlined Black and Latine communities. The ACC, supposed to protect these areas, approved a natural gas plant in Randolph, a Black community in Pinal County, despite years of local opposition. This action has been criticized as “environmental racism.”
Black Americans are 75% more likely to live near oil and gas facilities, exposed to higher pollution levels. In counties like Gila and Maricopa, air quality is poor, increasing risks of lung diseases and depressing home values.
Support for Clean Energy
Despite widespread support for clean energy, the ACC supports fossil fuels. Arizona has not progressed on clean energy since 2006. Some commissioners rely on misleading claims about fossil fuels’ cost and reliability, though studies show solar energy is more economical and reliable.
Arizona’s solar potential could produce 320 times more energy than needed, potentially generating $2.7 billion annually in new revenue.
ACC commissioners must remember they serve voters, not powerful monopolies. Black and Latine voters could cast over a million votes in Arizona. Let’s remind ACC commissioners of their accountability this November.
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