2009

Arizona Public Lands Legislation Enacted into Law with REP Support

Statutory permanence for the National Landscape Conservation System. The NLCS includes 26 million acres of BLM lands with special scenic, ecological, and cultural value. NLCS units in Arizona include Agua Fria, Grand Canyon-Parashant, Ironwood Forest, Sonoran Desert, and Vermillion Cliffs National Monuments, which together protect 1.9 million acres of spectacular mesas, buttes, canyons, and forests. Other Arizona NLCS units include Gila Box Riparian, San Pedro Riparian, and Las Cienegas National Conservation Areas; the Juan Batista de Anza and Old Spanish National Historic Trails, and numerous wilderness areas.
Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River, running nearly 17 miles from the confluence of Sand Rock and Calf Pen Canyons to the Verde River confluence.
Arizona National Scenic Trail, running 807 miles from the Arizona-Utah line to the U.S.-Mexico border.

2008

Arizona REP volunteers were at John McCain's headquarters in force on September 8
to staff a phone bank. From left, Suzanne Cash (seated), Greg Fraker, REP Arizona
State Coordinator Tina Beattie, Andy Woodward, Alisha Loper, and Mike Loper.

Arizona REP volunteer Rick Biers mans the phone at McCain headquarters in Arizona.

Arizona REP members met March 13 at the Vision Gallery in Chandler with Arizona Corporation Commissioner Bill Mundell. Left to right: Rick Biers,
Roberta Voss, Ron Roedel, Andy Woodward, Gary Tupper, Commissioner Mundell, Steve Winn (background), Roselyn O'Connell, Alicia and
Grant Loper (background), and state Coordinator Tina Beattie and Glenn Beattie (foreground). Photo by Martha Marks

Read State Coordinator Tina Beattie's May 5, 2008 op-ed in the Arizona Daily Star on the Clean Cars Program.

State Coordinator Tina Beattie testified at a March 3, 2008, legislative hearing on the Arizona Clean Cars Program

Good evening, my name is Tina Beattie and I am the state coordinator for Republicans for Environmental Protection. We are here this evening to encourage the Governor to adopt the Clean Cars Program for Arizona.

Clean air is a vital necessity and we should do all we can to protect it here in Arizona. Growing up in Arizona, I remember hearing how we would not become L.A. - we would escape the air quality issues they have. Well, our brown cloud is evidence that we did not succeed. Some say that following California's lead in fixing the problem is allowing them to make decisions for us. I say that we are following a very fiscally responsible model in allowing the world's 5th largest economy to vet the process for us.

The auto industry’s argument that this will be harmful to consumers is flawed. On the front end, costs may increase, but in totality the greater efficiency will serve consumers far into the future.

Today, oil prices briefly surged to an all-time, inflation-adjusted high of $103.95 per barrel. There is talk of gasoline hitting $4 per gallon by summer. It’s not realistic at this point to hope for a dramatic fall in prices.

According to the California Air Resources Board’s economic analysis of the clean cars standard, the higher up-front higher cost of a model year 2016 car would be $1,047, but the fuel savings would be $2,930 – and that assumes gas prices of only $1.74 per gallon. The savings are even higher with prices at $3 per gallon or higher.

American automakers have lost considerable market share to foreign companies who responded early to consumer desires for greater fuel efficiency. Far from harming the auto industry the Clean Cars program will help carmakers get more in step with consumers, The cost of continuing to allow business as usual will hurt Arizona taxpayers and could ultimately affect our booming tourism industry. In addiition to driving up health care costs, the brown cloud is not very photogenic.

Arizonans know how important clean air is to our quality of life. Arizonans understand that we must set the bar higher to protect our health and reduce fuel costs. Again we encourage you to adopt the Cars program.

2007