Jana Segal

While tending my desert garden, I became a sort of citizen scientist observing the impact of rising temperatures and declining rainfall in Tucson. That convinced me that we need to do everything we can to lessen the impact of climate change. I share my journey on Sustainable Living Tucson blog. That includes what I have learned about sustainable practices like water-harvesting and clean energy. I also directed a virtual production of my play, "Regeneration: The Tucson Story" that you can find on Youtube. I am currently the lead of Sustainable Tucson's Environmental Advocacy group and a member of the Water Committee. I attend the Pima Department of Environmental Quality's Green Infrastructure planning meetings as Sustainable Tucson's Water Ambassador. I also rally my friends on social media to become active too by posting Calls to Action from my blog Desktop Activist Tucson.

Tell the EPA don’t restrict the use of science

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It is vitally important that the Environmental Protection Agency rely on the best possible science to ensure that we have clean air and clean water.   I believe that the EPA’s refusal to factor in the most recent science hurt our community’s efforts to fight TEP’s permit for the 10 RICE gas-fired engines.  And now the EPA is proposing a new rule that would further restrict the agency’s ability to rely on the best available science!

I recently received a response from the Pima Department of Environmental Quality regarding the public comments submitted on TEP’s permit to install the 10 RICE gas-fired engines in Tucson. I want to thank the members of Sustainable Tucson, the Sierra Club, and other community members who took the time to go on record regarding this important issue. While our letters didn’t result in PDEQ rejecting TEP’s permit, we did slow down the process. (It took five months for them to review the comments and approve it.) And they did revise a number of permit conditions including: annual monitoring and reporting to provide reasonable assurance of compliance with the carbon monoxide emission limits for the RICE, and a condition that they would decommission the old generators before the new engines are installed.

Summary of their decision.

Within 30 days after service of this notice announcing the final permit decision, any person who filed comments on the proposed permit for the TEP Irvington Generating Station or participated in any of the public hearings for the TEP Irvington Generating Station may petition EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) to review any condition of the final permit.

One of the problems our community faced in responding to how TEP’s permit complied with PDEQ’s code was the absence of carbon dioxide standards. That’s right! The code doesn’t include carbon dioxide standards because Scott Pruitt put a hold on the Clean Power Plan.  This is just one example of how vital it is for the EPA rely on the best available science when making decisions!

Now the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a rule that would restrict the agency’s ability to rely on the best available science.  According tho the Union of Concerned Scientist, this is nothing more than an attempt to undermine the EPA’s mission to protect public health and the environment. Our air, water, and health all rely on the EPA using the best available science in decision making.

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City Council, Stop allowing City Maintenance to Poison Tucson

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It’s no secret my fondness for edible weeds or my complete disdain for Round Up. I hung a sign in the alleyway, “No Poison, Please. Edible Weeds Grow Here.” I’ve done my best to educate the poor, misguided landscapers and maintenance workers who spray Round Up on every little weed and even baby palm trees. (Won’t kill ’em anyway…) Sometimes I’m more successful than others. At a recent city council meeting, a woman took advantage of the public hearing period to urge the council to stop weeds from coming up this monsoon season by spraying pre-emergent herbicide all over town. Right then and there I decided to use my time to speak up about it. But Mayor Rothschild, in his great wisdom, had me speak on my other issue instead. That was just the nudge I needed to share my concerns with him and all the city council members in great detail… including links. lol

Feel free to write your Council Member too!

Find your ward here.

Contact info for Council Members here

Following the city’s example

Dear Mayor Jonathon Rothschild and Council Members:

I’ve been meaning to speak up at a city council meeting about the transportation department’s overuse of herbicides for some time. After my mom got a severe headache from breathing in the Round Up sprayed in a right of way on our street, I spoke to the landscaper about it. He replied, “The city sprays it everywhere, so can we.”

Since then I have been very aware of herbicides sprayed on city property. The other day I was stunned to see an entire lot covered with it. Recently I walked by the County Public Service Center building. In the catchment basins – that should be an example of the best water-harvesting practices – there were turquoise patches of weed killer. Right where the rainwater sinks in to restore our aquifer! I brought this up to t
Department of Environmental Quality just to be told that was the work of the city maintenance department.

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Good News at the End of Legislative Session!

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Environmental Day at the AZ State Capital

I guess we all can use some good news…

First, I want to thank all of you who signed or shared Sustainable Tucson’s letter to TEP asking the company to transition faster to clean energy and not install the 10 RICE gas-fired engines. Barbara L. Sherry and Billy Kovacs US Democratic Congressional Candidates AZ 02 came through for us!

The Arizona state legislative session has ended and we have some good reasons to celebrate! Our advocacy paid off with several of the bills that we opposed not passing! Yay!

Advocates! We saved a seat for you!

Partner in advocacy Sandy Bahr shared the Sierra Club’s legislative report:

On the good news front, the Arizona Legislature did not refer HCR2017 Now: renewable energy standards; corporation commission. This proposed legislative referral intended to confuse voters and compete with and block the citizen initiative, Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona, which seeks to increase our renewable energy standard to 50 percent by 2030.

None of the remaining bad water bills advanced this session! Thanks to everyone who helped keep up the pressure and make it known that backsliding is not acceptable when it comes to water adequacy and protection of the San Pedro River.

HB2512 water program amendments (Bowers) is a water omnibus bill that contains a number of provisions, but the most harmful aspect would weaken adequacy requirements for areas such as Cochise County and could cause further harm to the San Pedro River. This bill died in the Senate as it did not go to Committee of the Whole.

HB2553 adequate water supply; county review (Bowers) is a stand-alone bill for weakening the adequacy requirements for areas such as Cochise County and further threatening the San Pedro River. This also died due to lack of action in the Senate COW.

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