State Glance
Arizona officials rule utilities must be carbon-free by 2050
PHOENIX — Arizona utility regulators approved a plan for utilities to receive all their energy from carbon-free sources by 2050.
The plan approved Thursday in a split vote by the Arizona Corporation Commissioners calls for electric utilities to receive half their power from renewable energies such as solar and wind in 2035.
In 2050, they would need to supply all customer electricity with renewables, carbon-free nuclear or energy-efficient methods such as subsidizing low-watt light bulbs or attic insulation, the Arizona Republic reported.
The commissioners approved the measure on a 3-2 vote.
The plan also has interim requirements that electric utilities must cut carbon emissions in half by 2032 and by 75% by 2040.
The carbon reductions figures would be based on how much carbon a utility’s power plants emitted on average from 2016-18, the Republic reported.
Tourism spending in Arizona down by more than 50%
PHOENIX — Arizona tourism officials say the pandemic has led to spending from visitors to plunge by $10 billion when compared to the same time last year.
The Arizona Office of Tourism said in a news release Thursday that revenue generated by visitors between January and September is 52% less.
Spending nose-dived in March and April when coronavirus-induced shutdowns began and climbed somewhat in May and June. However, spending has since plateaued. Tourism officials worry that spending will not rise in the fall season leading to more losses.
In September, visitors spent $752 million. Officials say normally tourism brings in around $1.9 billion in that month. They say those dollars supported 87,000 hospitality jobs. That is 55% fewer jobs than in September 2019, according to the tourism office’s monthly report.
Winter in Arizona forecast to be drier, warmer than normal
PHOENIX — National Weather Service forecasters say the odds favor the coming winter in Arizona being drier and warmer than normal.
A long-range outlook produced by NWS offices serving Arizona said the state will enter the winter after experiencing levels of precipitation that were mostly well below normal. That dryness has left much of Arizona being classified as being in extreme drought, with desert areas including Phoenix and Tucson worse off in exceptional drought status.
The expected winter weather conditions point toward less grass growth in lower elevations, reducing the prevalence of wildfires in those areas, the forecasters said.
Spring snowmelt is anticipated to be average or below average, resulting in decreased water storage in reservoirs in 2021.
However, good runoff levels the last two winters mean water storage levels in 2021 should still be adequate, the forecasters said.