plant; transmission line; definitions

HB2485 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
plant; transmission line; definitions

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2485

Introduced by

Representatives
De Los Santos: Garcia, Travers

AN
ACT

amending section 40-360, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to the power plant and transmission line siting
committee.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 40-360, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
40-360.

Definitions

In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Area of jurisdiction" means the state,
a county or an incorporated city or town that exercises concurrent or exclusive
jurisdiction over a geographical area.

2. "Certificate of environmental
compatibility" means the certificate that is required by this article and
that evidences the approval by the state of the sites for a plant or
transmission line, or both.

3. "Commission" means the corporation
commission.

4. "Committee" means the power plant and
transmission line siting committee.

5. "Current Arizona electric transmission
system" means the existing electric transmission system serving this state
and all transmission lines on file with the commission as of January 31 of the
previous year.

6. "Facilities" means a plant or
transmission line, or both.

7. "Member" means the state official named
herein, the employee designee thereof from the department, agency or governing
body of such state official member and the public members designated herein.

8. "Person" means any state or agency or
political subdivision thereof, or any individual, partnership, joint venture,
corporation, city or county, whether located within or without this state, or
any combination of such entities.

9. "Plant" means each separate thermal
electric, nuclear or hydroelectric generating unit with a nameplate rating of
one hundred

twenty-five
megawatts or
more for which expenditures or financial commitments for land acquisition,
materials, construction or engineering exceeding $50,000 have not been made
before August 13, 1971.

10. "Transmission line" means
five or more new structures that span more than one mile in length as
measured from the first structure outside of the substation, switchyard or
generating site to which the line connects to the fifth structure and that are
erected above ground and support
one or more conductors
that
are
designed for the transmission of electric energy at nominal voltages
of one hundred fifteen thousand volts or more
,

that are erected above ground and that span more than one mile in
length as measured from the outside of the substation, switchyard or generating
site from which the line originates to the outside of the substation,
switchyard or generating site where the line terminates
and all new
switchyards to be used therewith and related thereto for which expenditures or
financial commitments for land acquisition, materials, construction or
engineering exceeding $50,000 have not been made before August 13,
1971.
Transmission line does not include structures
located on the substation, switchyard or generating site to which the line
connects.

11. "Utility" means any person engaged in
the generation or transmission of electric energy.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Legislative intent

A. The legislature finds
and declares that there is at present and will continue to be a growing need
for electric service that will require the construction of major new
facilities. It is recognized that facilities cannot be built without
in some way affecting the physical environment where the facilities are
located. The legislature further finds that it is essential in the
public interest to minimize any adverse effect on the environment and on the
quality of life of the citizens of this state that new facilities might cause.�
The legislature further finds that present practices, proceedings and laws
relating to the location of utility facilities may be inadequate to protect
environmental values and take into account the total effect of the facilities
on society.� The lack of adequate statutory procedures may result in delays in
new construction and increases in costs that are eventually passed on to the
citizens of this state in the form of higher electric rates and that may result
in the possible inability of the electric suppliers to meet the needs and
desires of the citizens of this state for economical and reliable electric
service.� Furthermore, the legislature finds that existing law does not provide
adequate opportunity for individuals, groups interested in conservation and the
protection of the environment, local governments and other public bodies to
participate in a timely fashion in the decision to locate a specific major
facility at a specific site.

B. The legislature declares
that it is the purpose of this act to provide a single forum for the
expeditious resolution of all matters concerning the location of electric
generating plants and transmission lines in a single proceeding to which access
will be open to interested and affected individuals, groups, county and
municipal governments and other public bodies to enable them to participate in
these decisions.