Cyclovia Map, Sunday, April 28

Join thousands of walkers, strollers, dancers, skateboarders, and bicyclists at Cyclovia this Sunday, April 28, to celebrate car-free and care-free streets.  Bike Fest month in Tucson and Pima County wraps up with this family event that takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The east end of the festival is Dodge Boulevard, near Brandi Fenton Park, and Keeling Desert Park on Glenn Street marks the west end of the four-mile route.

County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry will lead a ride to Cyclovia from Kory Laos BMX track, part of the Flowing Wells Park, located at 5510 N. Shannon Road, at the Rillito River. The ride begins Sunday at 9:30 a.m., and will follow the Rillito River Park portion of The Loop for a ride of eight miles to Dodge Boulevard.

The attached map shows the location of “activity centers,” including DJs, food trucks, live music, pop-up skate and BMX spots, bike helmet give-aways and more. La Madera Park hosts a bike rodeo and also features jumping castles. Streets closed to cars are Dodge Boulevard, Blacklidge Avenue, Mountain Avenue and Glenn Street.

‪Bring your family and check out the urban wildlife display from Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation. Then walk or ride on wide-open streets to the rock-climbing wall, bike decoration station, and enjoy great food from local restaurants on the route. Cyclovia gives people from the greater Tucson region the chance to see neighbors, friends and other folks from throughout the area, and get a little exercise.

Building on the first Cyclovia on April 7 in downtown Tucson, Pima County will provide information and fun activities from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Air Program, the Health Department, Regional Wastewater and Reclamation Department, and the Office of Sustainability.

For more information about Cyclovia, visit: http://www.cycloviatucson.org/

For more information about The Loop, visit: www.pima.gov/TheLoop.

The dispute has lingered since 2007, featuring an unsuccessful annexation attempt of the plant by Marana, as well as the passage of a state law allowing the transfer of the facility to the Town for just the cost of the outstanding debt,

The County extended settlement offers in December 2012, which hinged on Town voters agreeing that they wanted to be in the wastewater business. Voters provided that OK in March.

The settlement, which sets a purchase price of $18.2 million for the plant, also required the repeal of the state laws allowing Marana to take possession of the plant without paying full price. The laws were successfully repealed earlier this legislative session.

Under the agreement, Marana will operate the plant to serve areas in north Marana, while Pima County retains control and operation of the sewer system for the remainder of the town and surrounding unincorporated areas. The County will support the Town’s efforts to get beneficial use for as much effluent as possible that is discharged from the plant, minus certain requirements such as for tribal water rights settlements and conservation purposes.

Although Supervisor Richard Elías expressed concern that the agreement is a step away from regionalism, Supervisors Sharon Bronson and Ally Miller said they welcomed a stronger relationship in the future with Marana. Supervisor Ray Carroll agreed. “It brings local control to Marana. That’s what they wanted and they’re willing to pay for it. I do believe they should be careful what they wish for, but they have it now and I wish them all the success in the world,” Carroll said.

Marana Town Council member Roxanne Ziegler told Board members she will be thrilled not to have to go into more executive sessions to talk about wastewater. “It’s been a long haul. We’re five years into it…and we’ve had a lot of ups and downs and peaks and valleys,” she said, thanking the Board for its patience over the years.

Her Council colleague Dave Bowen echoed her sentiments. “We look forward to a great and amicable relationship in the years ahead,” he said, adding that he anticipates working together to complete projects that will be good for the citizens of Marana andPimaCounty.

Supervisor Bronson thanked the Town for entering into constructive dialogue with the County in recent months. “We’re looking forward to moving on to better things,” she said.

The Marana Town Council is expected to take up the issue at its study session this evening.

To read the settlement agreement in its entirety, please visit http://www.pima.gov/cob/e-agenda/04092013/ADDExecSessC_TownofMaranaSettlement.pdf

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Solar panels generate power near the Water and Engery Sustainability Center, part of the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department Lab.
Source: Communications OfficeSlide 2 of 2.
Solar developers take advantage of new Pima County policy in the Picture Rocks area of the county.

Pima County won half of the total American Public Works Association (APWA) 2013 awards at the local Southern Arizona Chapter level. Awards will be presented on March 26. Two of the local chapter winners additionally won at the State Chapter level. Statewide winners are automatically entered in the APWA National Competition.

APWA presented the 2013 Sustainability Practices of the Year award to Development Services, Planning Division, for the Renewable Energy Incentive District (REID). REID offers incentives to the solar industry to develop on selected sites within unincorporated Pima County. REID gives solar developers the opportunity to build more swiftly and less expensively.

“We are pleased that the County has been recognized for this effort, which was several years in the making,” says Planning Director Arlan Colton, FAICP. “The properties identified for utility-scale photovoltaic solar can proceed to development much quicker, having been pre-cleared for most development requirements.”

The Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department won two Public Works Projects of the Year awards for the Regional Optimization Master Plan (ROMP) Plant Interconnect and for the Santa Cruz Interceptor III.

ROMP is a $660 million program to upgrade and expand the Ina Road Wastewater Reclamation Facility (WRF) and to replace the Roger Road WRF with a new state-of-the-art facility. Projects, including those receiving APWA Awards, will improve the quality of the community’s reclaimed water for recharge and reuse. In addition to the treatment facility improvements, the ROMP also includes a state-of-the-art water quality laboratory and a five-mile-long sewer interceptor that allows flexibility of flow management between the Ina Road and Roger Road facilities. Effluent discharges will continue to provide a riparian habitat and birding opportunities.

In addition, Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation received Project of the Year award for Canoa Preserve Park in Green Valley, in the Small Cities and Rural Communities category. It is the first County park in this retirement community.

The ROMP Plant Interconnect and the Canoa Preserve Park won at the state level, to be presented on August 8, and will be entered in the national competition.

“Given our longstanding experience with running a regional system, we know that running a sewer plant is a significant undertaking, but Pima County is pleased to support the Town in its efforts and offers our expertise and assistance as the Town proceeds,” said Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry.

Town officials already have accepted a settlement offer extended by the Pima County Board of Supervisors in December, which agreed upon a purchase price of $18.2 million for the Marana Wastewater Reclamation Facility. The agreement states Marana will serve a designated management area inNorth Marana, while the County will retain sewer service for the balance of the Town.

Aside from the purchase price, the settlement was contingent upon Town voters agreeing they wanted to get into the wastewater treatment business and upon Marana working to repeal legislation that allowed the Town to take over the plant at less than fair market value.

“We’re pleased to have certainty on whether the Town has the legal ability to operate the plant,” Huckelberry said, “and we look forward to working with Marana in ensuring the economic vibrancy of this entire region.”

During the three-year external stakeholder process, the County received over 700 comments on the manual. Jackson Jenkins, RWRD director, says, “The manual is a culmination of a multi-year outreach effort where stakeholders and the department worked through many items to arrive at a clear and concise presentation of the design and construction requirements for public sewer served by RWRD.”

In the new Manual, the County has committed to a five-working-day review for variances. In addition, RWRD has established updated engineering and construction sewer standards to streamline services.

Implementation of the updated sections of the Manual will begin in 60 days for all first submittals of tentative subdivision plats, final subdivision plats, landscape plans, paving and grading plans, and public sewer construction plans. For other applicant submittals, the revised standards will be applicable in six months.

“The updated Manual is another part of the County’s continuing commitment to creating a positive climate for business and improving business service, both part of the 2012-2014 Economic Development Plan,” says County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry.

In addition to accelerated variance review, the ordinance establishes a Standards Committee comprised of internal staff and external members of the community for a new customer appeals process. Also, the ordinance provides guidance for the conveyance of public sewer easements, improved sewer flow management information, new sewer pipe materials, and development of best management practices for wastewater pumping systems.

The new manual is available to the public on the Pima County RWRD webpage: http://www.pima.gov/wwm/eng/des_std.htm.

This event is held each year on the day after Thanksgiving to remind people on how to properly dispose of used cooking grease. Ordinary kitchen cooking grease build up can clog sewer pipes, reduce sewage flow and act as a magnet for other debris. Eventually this build-up can clog lines and result in Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO).

To avoid a grease-related SSO please do not pour used cooking grease down the drain. After cooking with grease or oils, allow them to cool and pour them into a can or a jar. Wipe grease from pots, pans, and plates with a paper towel before washing them. Both the greasy paper towels and the can or jar be safely discarded in your trash. By following these simple rules you can do your part to save our sewers.

The used cooking oil will be recycled into biodiesel, which is a cleaner burning fuel for the environment.

The 2011 event collected over 4,653 pounds of used cooking oil. More than 18,353 pounds of used cooking oil has been collected since the program began in 2005.

Please bring your used cooking oil on the Day-After-Thanksgiving to one of the four grease collection locations listed below:

This year’s drop-off sites include:

East – O’Reilly Chevrolet                                 Midtown – Ward 3

6160 E. Broadway Blvd.                                           1510 E. Grant Road

One block west of Wilmot Road                           Between Vine & Cherry Ave.

Northwest – Pima County                              South – City of Tucson, Water Plant #2

5025 W. Ina Rd.                                                         1102 W. Irvington Road

¼ mile west of I-10                                                   I-19, exit west on Irvington Road

During Fiscal Year 2011-2012, which ended June 30, the County made several advances to increase the sustainability and efficiency of its operations, including:

• Reducing energy expenses by $1.5 million (10 percent) compared to the baseline year of 2008.
• Managing 3.6 megawatts of renewable energy, which represents about 7 percent of the County’s annual energy load and surpassed the 2012 target.
• Increasing the number of alternative fuel vehicles in the Sheriff’s Department’s fleet by 51 percent so they comprise 53 percent of the fleet.
• Increasing employee use of transportation modes other than single-occupant vehicles by 41 percent since 2010.
• Increasing the proportion of office supply dollars spent on ecofriendly products by 276 percent over the baseline year of 2008.
• Increasing the purchase of recycled content paper to 70 percent of all copier/printer paper purchases.
• Increasing the number of County parks served by reclaimed water by 120 percent.

The Sustainable Action Plan for County Operations focuses on alternative fuel vehicles, green building, renewable energy and energy efficiency, green purchasing, land conservation and management, waste reduction, water conservation and carbon footprint reduction; and in 2011-2012 added employee health and wellness goals.

“We are committed to achieving excellence in operational sustainability and efficiency and believe implementation of the Sustainable Action Plan for Pima County Operations, as reflected in the Report Card Year FY 2011-2012, showcases the commitment our employees, colleagues and the community are making to enhance our economy, environment, and the people we serve,” Pima County Administrator C.H. Huckelberry said.

The Sustainable Action Plan for County Operations Year Four Implementation Report Card FY 2011-2012 is available for viewing at www.pima.gov.

Win an iPad at the Green Living Fair on Nov. 3.

Visit the 5th Annual  Green Living Fair on Saturday, November 3, and learn how to green your home, green your life, and keep more green in your pocket.  The free event takes place at the HabiStore at 935 W. Grant Road, ¼ mile east of I-10, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Over 22 exhibitors will help you discover ways to save money, energy, and the environment through water harvesting, organic gardening, recycling, sharing surplus items, alternative driving options, planting trees, maintaining your vehicle, and much more.

Enjoy solar-powered live music and enter to win an iPad (donated by Cox Communications).  And don’t forget to shop for new and gently used home furnishings and home improvement items at the HabiStore — the store that builds homes and changes the world one sofa at a time.

The Fair is brought to you by the Pima County Environmental Quality’s Clean Air Program, Pima Association of Governments, Habitat for Humanity’s HabiStore, Mrs. Green’s World, and the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department.

For more information visit HabitatTucson.org, or call the HabiStore at 889-7200.

The work involves replacement of a 46-foot section of sewer pipe.  Lane restrictions will include:

• The closure of eastbound Roger Road.  Use Wetmore Road as an alternative route.
• Westbound Roger Road has been reduced to one lane.

Please approach the area with caution and obey all message boards and traffic control devices.

Jackson Jenkins, RWRD director, and Ed Curley, RWRD senior program manager, will join area experts to discuss the Regional Optimization Master Plan (ROMP), the largest public works project in Pima County history. “We have a very enlightened wastewater program in Pima County,” says Paul Green, executive director, Tucson Audubon Society, another panel member. “The idea of multiple uses for treated wastewater is quite rare.”

Pima County is developing and implementing the ROMP:  a $660 million program to upgrade and expand the Ina Road Wastewater Reclamation Facility (WRF) and to replace the Roger Road WRF with a new state-of-the-art facility. These projects will improve the quality of the community’s reclaimed water for recharge and reuse.  In addition to the treatment facility improvements, the ROMP also includes a now-operational, state-of-the-art water quality laboratory and a five-mile-long sewer interceptor that allows flexibility of flow management between the Ina Road and Roger Road facilities.  Effluent discharges will continue to provide a riparian habitat and birding opportunities.

“Water is a regional issue and reclaimed water is of growing value in our community,” Jenkins says. “The ROMP will improve the quality of the community’s reclaimed water, making it an even more important piece of the community’s water portfolio. We have many local partners involved in the ROMP. Together, we are working proudly to transform RWRD’s treatment facilities into a water-centric focus area for the region, capitalizing on the natural beauty of the Santa Cruz River and the award-winning Tucson Sweetwater Wetlands.”

In Pima County and Tucson, different agencies have come together to provide multiple community benefits from the same resource – treated effluent. “Pima County is being recognized as a leader in wastewater plant renovation, for our innovation in rehabilitating older plants to a state of the art system, and cooperative water quality research with the University of Arizona,” says County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry. “The ROMP is ahead of schedule and will come in well under the original $720 million budget.”

In fact, the Water, Energy and Sustainability Center, which houses the lab and training center, is up and running. The Center features rainwater harvesting, and nearby solar panels generate power.

The Tucson Audubon Society has been working with Pima County to develop watchable wildlife sites at various treatment plants. “Studies have shown significant economic impact from tourists who come to the area to view wildlife,” says Green with the Audubon Society. Tucson’s Sweetwater Wetlands, an important habitat for breeding pairs in the spring and summer, also hosts northern species that migrate south in the winter. The Wetlands is featured in Audubon’s book Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona, and thus attracts birders from around the world.

Other members of the Pima County/Tucson panel include: Alan Forrest, director, Tucson Water; Shane Snyder, professor, UA Chemical and Environmental Engineering, and co-director, Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants; and Claire Zucker, Sustainable Environment Program director, Pima Association of Governments.

“This conference tackles the leadership questions, engages the regulators, and opens minds by presenting innovative approaches,” says Ben Grumbles, president of Clean Water America Alliance, who invited Pima County and Tucson to participate. “We will tackle the leadership questions, engage the regulators, and open minds by presenting innovative approaches.” Ben Grumbles is the former director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.