Life Coach in Maricopa, AZ

[en español]

Heat is a serious problem in Arizona, especially in Phoenix — one of the fastest-warming cities in the U.S. Climate change is making it hotter, with temperatures climbing as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit on recent summer days.

That heat comes at a cost. Residents of the Phoenix metropolitan area spend about $7.3 million every year in emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to heat-related illnesses, according to a 2021 economic assessment commissioned by the Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental organization. Socially vulnerable populations — people without vehicles, with disabilities, older adults, those who are experiencing poverty, and people with limited English proficiency, to name just some — tend to carry a heavier burden.

This pattern can be found across the U.S. A 2021 EPA report found that marginalized communities are disproportionately harmed by climate change and its most severe consequences, such as worsening air quality, hotter temperatures, and floods

In Phoenix, researchers found that low-income and predominantly Latino neighborhoods endure hotter temperatures, especially in the southwestern areas of the city, where temperatures showed to be 3 to 5 degrees warmer on average than in wealthy areas with predominantly white populations. These neighborhoods also tend to be affected by policies, such as redlining and disinvestment, that have left them with fewer shade trees and parks to provide cooling.

Chispa AZ is a climate justice organization that focuses on growing political power and civic engagement in Latinx communities. In April 2022, the group launched the “Clean and Green” or “Limpia y Verde” campaign to help residents drive conversations around policy and community investment.

In this interview, Masavi Perea, Chispa AZ’s organizing director, shares why the organization is working to ensure that residents’ voices are included in the public policy and climate resiliency efforts developed by the local governments.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Yale Climate Connections: Would you tell us how Chispa AZ became interested in such an effort?

Masavi Perea: Before the pandemic started, Chispa AZ was involved in a cooling experiment that brought us to work with the Nature Conservancy, Arizona State University, and officials from the Maricopa County Public Health Department to address extreme urban heat in specific neighborhoods: Edison-Eastlake, Mesa Care and Lindo-Roesley Park.

The residents in these communities were not just prone to heat-related illnesses but had also complained about the lack of investment in their neighborhood parks and playgrounds.

Our job was to work together with other community organizations to mobilize local residents in sharing their ideas and needs to be addressed with cooling corridors and green infrastructure.

As part of the results, these neighborhoods now have amenities designed by its residents, some of which now provide drinking water and shade in parks, bus stops, sidewalks, and playgrounds they couldn’t use as much before. Part of the result is also a proud community that utilizes these spaces that now serve them and that they were involved in its creation. The project taught us that people’s voices should be included in the decision-making process to successfully adapt and address issues like climate change.

So the campaign is how we follow up on that cooling experiment while seeking equity in a system that tends to neglect the most vulnerable residents and communities.

YCC: What are the equity components included in the Limpia y Verde campaign?

Perea: In addition to the revitalization of the neighborhood and building up more shade in parks and playgrounds to reduce the hot temperatures we experience nowadays in Maricopa, we are focusing on historic issues that are affecting Latino communities, like segregation and redlining.

Maricopa county, Phoenix in particular, has really bad air circulation. It’s like a hole with a lot of traffic on the freeways and waste from industrial sites. Latino residents are densely located in the south in the most polluted areas. And by design, these are the neighborhoods where people who can’t access higher-paying jobs can mostly afford to live.

So it’s not just extreme heat we deal with in the city. We also deal with poor air quality and gentrification. That’s why the Limpia y Verde campaign is also focused on air monitoring the pollutants in these neighborhoods and on rent regulations so that the lower-income residents don’t have to leave their community.

During the pandemic, we’ve seen that real estate developments and improvements are driving rent increases, and families are being displaced to the less expensive, more contaminated sections of the city. And we don’t want that for our people.

YCC: So how is the campaign structured?

Perea: Limpia y Verde launched on Earth Day with Chispa AZ members visiting public events and gathering within the communities to conduct online surveys. The idea is that these surveys will help us understand what are the issues that are affecting the residents’ day-to-day lives.

So far, we’ve learned that residents also need light fixtures in streets and sidewalks, drinking water in the parks and recreational centers, extended after-work hours to visit the playgrounds and more, in addition to the health and environmental concerns I’ve mentioned.

YCC: What is Chispa AZ looking forward to with Limpia y Verde?

Perea: We’ve shared these ideas with local officials at the city and county level, hoping that the community’s voices will be included and prioritized in the decision-making process.

The city of Phoenix approved $500 million in bonds to fund critical needs like the revitalization of parks, building storm resiliency and the development of affordable housing. We know that the local governments can’t afford to miss out on residents’ knowledge and first-hand experience.

The people who know best how to address climate change and these social issues are within these communities, the ones most harmed. So there is a need now to ensure that the power dynamics don’t keep policies and programs from hitting the mark.

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Maricopa County Supervisor weighs in on concerns about Scottsdale's plan to fix Rio Verde Foothills' water crisis.

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin of District 2 said he's not sold on Scottsdale's plan to end the Rio Verde Foothills water crisis.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors met in executive session Thursday to get legal advice about any forthcoming agreement. So far, the City of Scottsdale has not proposed an official agreement but passed a resolution describing what the city would agree to.

About 500 homes in Rio Verde Foothills, north of Scottsdale, have been without a reliable source of water for eight weeks since Scottsdale cut them off. Those homes are not inside the city limits and Scottsdale said it needs to conserve its water in the face of a record-breaking megadrought.

After the meeting, Galvin said he still has questions that need to be addressed.

"Where the water is coming from is my number one priority, my number one question," he said.

The Scottsdale City Council adopted a resolution outlining its conditions for agreeing to a new water agreement. One of those conditions was that Scottsdale would have to find a third-party water source.

No source of water has been identified as of yet.

Galvin had already proposed a water utility company called EPCOR as a source of the water, taking the county out of the deal entirely. But Scottsdale refused to do a deal with a private company.

"The only thing I'm grateful for is they finally acknowledged that they have to be part of the solution," Galvin said.

Galvin said Scottsdale has to be part of the deal because they already have the infrastructure in place.

Rio Verde Foothills homes are primarily served by water haulers that, until Jan. 1, filled up at a Scottsdale standpipe. That standpipe was shut off on New Year's Day. Another standpipe would not be able to be built for years.

EPCOR is currently in the process of applying to be a permanent water supplier to Rio Verde Foothills, but that approval is a long way off. Even if it is approved, EPCOR told the Arizona Corporation Commission it would take three years to build the infrastructure and drill the wells it needs.

However, if EPCOR bought water from an outside source, and Scottsdale agreed to process it for drinking and make it available at the standpipe, water could be available much faster.

"My solution is better because it's the cheapest, the most affordable, the quickest, and the most expedient," Galvin said.

Last week, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued an opinion saying that the Rio Verde Foothills situation qualifies as an emergency. Ander under those conditions, Maricopa County could effectively act as a water company for the area.

Scottsdale's proposal calls for the city to obtain the water. Scottsdale would process it and make it available at the standpipe. The county would then contract with water haulers, who would in turn contract with homeowners.

The Board of Supervisors took no action Thursday. Any proposed agreement would have to be voted on and approved by both the board and Scottsdale City Council.

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Water levels are dwindling across the Southwest as the megadrought continues. Here's how Arizona and local communities are being affected.

As a councilmember, I recently had discussions with our city manager, deputy city manager for public safety, and emergency manager regarding concerns about train derailments and our city’s preparedness.

Our city staffers provided me with valuable information that I would like to share.

First, it’s important to note that railroads are not required to notify jurisdictions of all materials being transported. The federal regulation governing this is referenced here.

In our history, it is unknown how many times we have been notified of any shipment that falls under this regulation. Even though many materials transported are considered hazardous, they do not meet the requirement for notification to reduce the chances of intentional acts of terrorism.

In terms of resources, prevention and response are key. We are ahead of many jurisdictions in our automatic aid and enhanced evacuation planning, which can minimize the impact of any hazmat release. Lack of resources is an issue everywhere, and that’s why mutual aid is beneficial. Maricopa has implemented various levels of mutual aid, including local (automatic aid and established agreements), AZMAC (Statewide Mutual Aid Compact), and EMAC (Federal Mutual Aid Agreement).

Regarding safety, the Union Pacific Railroad, which passes through Maricopa, has a straight, flat route, and we do not experience ground heaving due to frost depth fluctuations. The Federal Railroad Administration requires annual inspections of tracks, and according to Union Pacific, they exceed the minimum requirements to ensure safety. Cargo and passenger rail traffic run on these tracks, and it is the responsibility of the rail companies to maintain their engines and railcars and ensure they are in working order.

While there is a risk in being located near railroad tracks, the chances of a major incident are very small. More than 99.9% of hazmat shipments reach their destination without a release caused by a railroad accident, making rail transport significantly safer than transportation by truck or air.

In the event of an incident involving hazardous materials, Maricopa takes steps to plan and prepare.

Our first responders are trained at the HazMat awareness level, and our automatic aid is immediately there to respond and mitigate the incident. Public notification will be made as soon as possible, with precaution information and/or evacuation notice. City officials are attending evacuation workgroup meetings with numerous jurisdictions in Arizona to enhance the efficiency of evacuation. This includes implementation of “zonal evacuation,” where zones are established for a strategic approach.

While a 1.5-mile evacuation radius would include a significant number of Maricopa residents, we do everything we can to prepare for a possible railroad incident involving hazardous materials.

It’s important to note that railroads do include placards on railcars and documentation with the engineer in case of an emergency.

It’s also important to note that the rail companies will not release information about what is being carried across the tracks, as this could be used as intelligence for a terrorist attack.

Overall, it’s a team effort among rail companies, regulations and government jurisdictions to take actions to prevent and prepare for incidents, even though they are statistically unlikely to occur.

Vincent Manfredi is an owner of InMaricopa.

On Sunday evening, the official Twitter account for Phoenix posted a photo of downtown to promote Super Bowl LVII coming to the Valley.

At first glance, the view seems to be from atop Piestewa Peak looking south toward the downtown skyline.

Upon further inspection, it's all wrong.

The photo, while beautiful, gets weirder with time.

Update:OK, fine. Here are some 'real views' of the city, Phoenix tells tweeters

The photo shows high-rise buildings, a state highway and — in the foreground — mountains.

But something with the mountains is amiss. They are verdant, green mountains.

And the buildings. They seem like they've been fanned out, like a deck of cards — no depth.

Needless to say, people had a field day. By Tuesday morning, the photo had more than 170 likes, more than 80 quote tweets and more than 20 retweets. It had over 115,000 impressions and counting.

"This is one crazy photoshopped pic," said one Twitter user. "Surprised you didn't drop in a jackalope too."

"Drop the coordinates," one said.

"Uhhhhhh what is this photoshop?" said another.

"Looks fine. I don’t get the outrage. If anything, I think they should lean more into the bit. Put in a lake. Add some bears, moose, beavers, and other mountainous animals that are native to the area," said another.

On Tuesday, Maricopa County's official Twitter account piled on.

They retweeted Phoenix's image and added their own comical mishmash: downtown Phoenix with snowcapped mountains, the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, the New York City skyline and other out-of-place additions.

"Ah yes, we love Phoenix!" Maricopa County's post said. "One of many beautiful cities in Maricopa County, AZ!"

All the city wanted was to welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to the Valley, after they secured their spot to face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 12: "Congrats to the @Chiefs and welcome to #PHX. Safe travels to visit #Phoenix - and remember - your weather highs these days are our lows.. pack some shorts."

The image was the second Super Bowl-related pic to catch flak on Twitter this week. The NFL on Sunday tweeted a promotional image of four quarterbacks facing Glendale's State Farm Stadium, which is sitting on a desert mesa. It could be the Grand Canyon. It could be Horseshoe Bend. If it weren't for the saguaros, it could be Mars. Wherever it is, it's not Glendale.

Phoenix spokesperson Matt Hamada was unaware of the spectacle when The Arizona Republic reached out.

"Man, we're just trying to have some Super Bowl fun," he joked. Hamada said the city regularly uses stock photos for promotional messaging and was unsure if the image had been photoshopped.

Hamada later told The Republic that the photo is, in fact, a composite of multiple images. The city has tweeted the photo in the past with no significant reaction, Hamada said.

"It's kind of fascinating to me," he said. "It's always a guessing game what will and will not spark engagement. While we knew tagging the incoming Super Bowl teams would get us some new eyes, we did not expect the direction the post has taken."

Here's more from Phoenix on the photo:

"The City of Phoenix, like many institutions, uses photos and videos to showcase themselves in marketing opportunities. This photo ... has been used for years by the City to highlight the beauty of what Phoenix has to offer. This composite and stylized photo was used with permission from Visit Phoenix for regular and special marketing events, such as the Final Four and Super Bowl."

Reach reporter Taylor Seely at tseely@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @taylorseely95.

Winter storms brought lots of snowfall to northern Arizona this week and the animals at Bearizona Wildlife Park seem to be adjusting well to the change of weather.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Northern Arizona got bombarded with snow storms this week but the animals at Bearizona Wildlife Park don't seem too bothered by the cold weather.

Several inches of snow fell across Coconino County on Wednesday, resulting in extended road closures and power outages.

But the inhabitants at the Williams wildlife park appear to be adjusting well to the snowy conditions. Pictures published by the park's staff show wolves, otters, and bighorn sheep mozying around the grounds as snowflakes fall around them.

Park staff said the high winds and piles of snow hadn't detoured the animals from enjoying themselves.

Credit: Bearizona

Credit: Bearizona

Credit: Bearizona

Credit: Bearizona

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“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.

The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:

Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.

The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.

Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.

The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).

One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.

The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.