PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today that contaminated groundwater at three sites now meets applicable Aquifer Water Quality Standards (AWQSs), allowing their removal from the WQARF Registry. Each of these sites was added to the registry in 1998 due to groundwater contamination.
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Category Archives: Phoenix
Upgrades coming to Ben Avery Shooting Facility’s main range
PHOENIX — When the Ben Avery Shooting Facility’s main range opens bright and early Aug. 30, recreational shooters will zero in on several improvements:
Earthen berms that serve as backstops for 67 shooting stations will be higher, more level and — most important — safer.
Target bumpers (which hold up the target frames) with re-stenciled lane numbers.
Refurbished shooting benches.
In order to complete more than $100,000 in improvements, the main range will be closed to the general public Aug. 14-29. The projects will be paid for through funding from the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR). The Arizona Game and Fish Department does not receive general funds from the State of Arizona.
“While this work is going to inconvenience some folks, due to the extended duration of the closure, the work on the range is necessary to maintain the highest levels of standards of safety and stewardship that our customers have come to expect from the facility,” said Christopher Dean, range manager.
The two-week closure also will apply to the adjacent specialty ranges designated for user groups – Smallbore, Rifle 2 (which also will see improvements to its berm), Pistol 3 and Pistol 4.
Located on 1,650 acres in north Phoenix, the Ben Avery Shooting Facility is one of the nation’s largest publicly-operated shooting facilities, drawing more than 120,000 shooters each year. A City of Phoenix “Point of Pride,” the facility has received a five-star rating from the National Association of Shooting Ranges.
For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov and click on “Shooting,” or call (623) 582-8313.
Wanted: Your best wildlife photos
PHOENIX — If you enjoy watching and photographing Arizona’s amazing wildlife, consider entering the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s annual wildlife calendar photo contest.
Send three of your finest wildlife photos via email or through a file-sharing website. Information and rules are posted at www.azgfd.gov/photocontest. As always, entry is free.
Winning images will be featured in the 2018 wildlife calendar, in the November–December 2017 issue of Arizona Wildlife Views magazine. Cash prizes are awarded. Prize money is funded through publications sales.
Whether you’ve photographed a colorful hummingbird in flight, a bighorn ram perched on a rocky ledge or a rabbit sipping water from a pond, submit your best work. Your photo could be chosen as a winner or for honorable mention.
The contest accepts entries through August 11 at 5 p.m. MST.
Nominations sought for 2017 Game and Fish Commission Awards
PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is soliciting nominations for its 2017 Commission Awards. The deadline for submission is Aug. 24, 2017. The purpose of these awards is to recognize Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the conservation of the state’s wildlife, its outdoor heritage, and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Nominations may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not eligible for nomination.
To submit a Commission Awards nomination, download a nomination form and submit the completed form and all supplemental materials to:
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Attn: 2017 Commission Awards
5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086
Nominations also can be submitted via email to lroe@azgfd.gov or faxed to 623-236-7299.
The submission deadline is 5 p.m. on Aug. 24, 2017.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission will select the 2017 Commission Award recipients at its Sept. 8-9, 2017, meeting. The awards will be presented at the annual Arizona Game and Fish Commission Awards Banquet to be held on Jan. 13, 2018.
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AZGFD reviewing feds’ draft Mexican wolf recovery plan
PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is reviewing the draft Mexican wolf recovery plan released June 29 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Although the plan appears to address the substance of AZGFD’s lawsuit filed in June 2015, Department scientists are continuing to evaluate the plan in detail before submitting formal comments by the August 29 comment deadline.
The draft plan outlines several key strategic acknowledgements to ensure the success of Mexican wolf reintroduction, including the recognition of Interstate 40 in Arizona and New Mexico as the appropriate northern boundary for recovery encompassing all of this wolf’s historical range, as well as recognition of the critical role Mexico plays in any recovery effort within the U.S.
“This science-based plan provides a description of the Mexican wolf’s historical range to ensure proper genetic management between Mexican wolves and Canadian gray wolves that were transplanted into the northern Rocky Mountains, which are prominent in areas north of I-40,” said Jim deVos, assistant director for wildlife management for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “This affords agencies invested in wolf recovery a pathway toward preserving and protecting the Mexican wolf from genetic swamping that would jeopardize this uniquely smaller subspecies.”
Arizona Game and Fish’s involvement in Mexican wolf conservation began in the mid-1980s. Since that time, the Department has spent more than $7 million on wolf recovery in the state and has been the predominant on-the-ground presence working to manage Mexican wolves.
Genetic viability has been one of the most controversial elements of Mexican wolf recovery. “The Department is analyzing the plan, which appears to be developed on the best available science by Dr. Philip S. Miller, a world-renowned population viability analysis expert,” said deVos. “Based on Dr. Miller’s analyses, the plan includes explicit science-based numbers of wolf releases required to maintain a genetically diverse Mexican wolf population.”
DeVos also noted that the draft plan outlines criteria for formally delisting and down-listing the Mexican wolf as an endangered subspecies, and that it also formally recognizes the key role Mexico plays in any recovery effort, given that 90 percent of Mexican wolf historical habitat is within Mexico.
“In total, the plan provides management options and direction to future delisting of Mexican wolves as an endangered subspecies and addresses weaknesses in the 1982 recovery plan,” said deVos. “We will work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies to ensure the success of wolf recovery efforts, in balance with other elements of the ecosystem, wildlife and the people who live, work and recreate on this landscape.”
In June 2015, AZGFD filed a lawsuit against the secretary of the Department of Interior and the Fish and Wildlife Service seeking an updated recovery plan – a requirement of the Endangered Species Act, the first update since the current plan was published in 1982. In April 2016, the Service signed a settlement agreement with AZGFD and other parties to complete a final revised Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan by the end of November 2017.
The public is invited to submit written comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the draft plan, either electronically (go to http://www.regulations.gov and enter the docket number FWS-R2-ES-2017-0036 in the search bar), or by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R4-ES-2017-0036, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. Comments must be received on or before Aug. 29, 2017. To view the draft recovery plan and other documents, visit https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/MWRP.cfm.
The Service also will hold two public meetings in Arizona to provide an opportunity for citizens to learn about the revised Mexican wolf recovery plan and to provide written comments. The dates and times of these information meetings are:
- Tuesday, July 18, 6-9 p.m., Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University’s Prochnow Auditorium, South Knowles Drive.
- Wednesday, July 19, 6-9 p.m., Pinetop, Hon-Dah Resort’s Casino Banquet Hall, 777 AZ-260.
Two additional public meetings will be held in New Mexico: July 20, 6-9 p.m., Truth or Consequences, Ralph Edwards Auditorium, Civic Center, 400 W. Fourth; and July 22, 2-5 p.m., Albuquerque, Crowne Plaza Albuquerque, 1901 University Blvd. NE.
The Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Project is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, White Mountain Apache Tribe, USDA Forest Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services, and several participating counties in Arizona.
For more information on Mexican wolves, visit www.azgfd.gov/wolf.
Drive carefully on SR 69 with firefighting still underway
PHOENIX – While State Route 69 has reopened between Interstate 17 and State Route 169 near Prescott, drivers need to use caution as crews in the area continue fighting the Goodwin Fire, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Those using SR 69 through the affected area should slow down and watch out for vehicles and equipment entering and exiting the highway. In addition, windblown smoke can reduce visibility.
Other options for reaching the Prescott area from the Valley include taking SR 169 west from Interstate 17 or taking SR 89 north from US 93 via US 60 through Wickenburg. Because both SR 169 and SR 89 are one lane in each direction most of the way, heavy traffic can lead to slowing on those routes.
SR 69 closed Tuesday between Cordes Junction and SR 169 as the Goodwin Fire burned near Mayer. It reopened to all traffic Friday morning.
Initial assessments by ADOT suggest that only minimal fire damage occurred along SR 69. Approximately 20 guardrail posts were damaged when fire crossed the highway near Mayer. ADOT will conduct a full assessment once firefighting operations wind down.
For the most current information about highway closures and restrictions statewide, visit ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, follow us on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511.
Red Cross Greater Phoenix Chapter attending National Council of La Raza Annual Conference
PHOENIX — Phoenix is hosting the National Council of La Raza Annual Conference, July 8-11, at the Phoenix Convention Center and American Red Cross Greater Phoenix Chapter will be in attendance to promote awareness on emergency blood donations and disaster preparedness, specifically the Home Fire Campaign, an effort to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by home fires. The American Red Cross Greater Phoenix, Latinos Preparados volunteers will be providing smoke alarm installation demonstrations and will also help families develop a home fire escape plan.
The Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters a year, the majority of which are home fires. Working smoke alarms in a home cut the risk of death by half and having an escape plan further improves the odds of survival. The Red Cross wants to end these tragedies and save lives, that’s why we launched the Home Fire Campaign in 2014. As of July 7, 2017, the Red Cross and our partners across the country have saved at least 235 lives.
For interviews with volunteers, visit our booth at the National Council of La Raza Annual Conference or to learn more about the Home Fire Campaign visit redcross.org. Please help us by volunteering to install smoke alarms, making a financial contribution, or taking steps to protect your own family from home fires.
Arizona, Republic of Korea now have driver license reciprocity
PHOENIX – A new agreement between Arizona and the Republic of Korea allows Arizonans staying longer than a year to obtain driver licenses in that country without having to take written and road tests. Licensed drivers from South Korea will receive the same courtesy for stays in Arizona lasting more than a year.
On June 27, Arizona Department of Transportation Director John Halikowski and Key Cheol Lee, the Republic of Korea consul general in Los Angeles, signed a memorandum of understanding formalizing a reciprocity agreement.
“The Republic of Korea is a valued trading and cultural partner for our state,” Halikowski said. “We’re pleased to make it even easier to do business and study in Arizona while minimizing time spent at a Motor Vehicle Division office.”
Arizona has similar reciprocity with Germany and Taiwan, while reciprocity between Arizona and Canada exempts drivers from road tests but still requires the written test.
Long-term visitors from the Republic of Korea who are at least 18 years old can now exchange South Korean driver licenses for Arizona driver licenses. They must have documentation showing they will be here for at least a year and that they have at least six months remaining on their stays. ADOT will coordinate with South Korean officials to verify an applicant’s driving status.
American Red Cross asking for assistance
PHOENIX – The American Red Cross is currently working with emergency managers in response to multiple wildfires throughout the state as well as numerous multi-family home fires. Currently, 88 Red Cross volunteers are mobilized and are responding to individual and community needs by providing shelter, meals, snacks, water, emergency supplies, and health services. Many of our dedicated volunteers are working multiple locations and long hours to provide the help needed in the communities affected.
Flo Hencken is just one example of a volunteer with a true American Red Cross spirit. Despite being evacuated by the Goodwin Fire herself, she has put on her Red Cross vest and is focused on helping her neighbors and community who have also been affected by the fire.
The American Red Cross needs your support. It is only through your generous donations that we are able to provide substantial financial assistance to the people affected by these disasters. Please consider donating, volunteering or giving blood. Every single dollar makes an impact. You can find your local chapter by visiting www.redcross.org.
Additional resources available: With evacuations in effect in some areas and potential evacuations in additional locations, the Red Cross recommends downloading the free Red Cross Wildfire App or Emergency App. http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/mobile-apps
Game and Fish develops proposed hunt guidelines
PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking public comment on proposed hunt guidelines for the 2018-19 through 2022-23 hunting seasons.
The proposed guidelines were developed based on input received through written public comment and information gathered during a webinar and eight public meetings conducted statewide. The proposed guidelines can be viewed on the department’s website at http://azgfdportal.az.gov/hunting/guidelines (PDF).
Comments on the proposed guidelines may be submitted through August 2 to AZHuntGuidelines@azgfd.gov, or by mail: Hunt Guidelines, Attn.: Amber Munig, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086.
The hunt guidelines provide the biological and social parameters used by wildlife managers to formulate the annual hunt recommendations (season structures, season lengths, season dates, permits allocated, etc.). These recommendations result in the hunts in which licensed hunters may participate. While hunting opportunity is important, wildlife is held in the public trust; therefore, using science-based principles to shape the guidelines process remains paramount to ensure healthy, sustainable and diverse wildlife populations in perpetuity.
“Your comments are important,” said Amber Munig, big game management supervisor. “The biological sideboards for managing wildlife and maintaining healthy, sustainable populations are fairly broad. Your input helps us fine-tune management within these sideboards. Please take a moment to give us your views.”
The final proposed hunt guidelines and all public comments, along with department responses to those comments, will be shared with the Arizona Game and Fish Commission at its September meeting in Flagstaff.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department does not receive general funds from the State of Arizona. The conservation and management of the state’s game animals is made possible by funding generated from the sale of hunting licenses, tags, and matching funds from the Wildlife Restoration Act, a federal excise tax that hunters and manufacturers pay on guns, ammunition and other hunting/shooting-related equipment.