Arizona State and Local Government Documents Collection

The purpose of the ambient air monitoring network is to sample air pollution in a variety of settings, assess the health and welfare effects, and assist in determining sources of air pollution. In general, six basic monitoring objectives and five measuring scales are used to determine the network design. Since it is physically and fiscally impossible to monitor the air in every location, representative samples must be obtained. These samples are determined by using the monitoring objectives and the spatial measurement scales. The network must be dynamic enough to maintain a current representative sample of the air quality. Air quality issues such as eight-hour ozone non-attainment boundaries and permits for new sources are diverse and controversial subjects for the citizens of Maricopa County. With its robust air monitoring network and mobile monitoring tools, the department strives to provide the most reliable and relevant air monitoring data to the public.

The general goal of this report was to collect data on citizens’ needs for information about neighborhood crime patterns and trends, terrorism, and public emergency planning and response in the western region of the Phoenix metropolitan area. There was particular interest in obtaining citizen feedback on data-sharing questions related to terrorism prevention.

As part of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Smart Policing Initiative, the Glendale Police Department and the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety at Arizona State University found that convenience stores -- particularly Circle K's -- disproportionately contributed to crime and disorder in the city of Glendale. The Center reached out to other law enforcement agencies in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and in June 2011, they authored a report based on 2010 data from four cities: Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, and Tempe. The 2010 report revealed that, when compared to other convenience stores Circle K’s, were disproportionately responsible for crime and disorder, regardless of their neighborhood or city.

Over the past year anecdotal evidence from media reports has suggested disproportionate levels of crime and violence occurring at Circle K stores in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Criminal events depicted by the media often took the form of individuals engaging in some type of minor criminal activity at a Circle K, and the events spiraling out of control. As a consequence of these observations, and subsequent federally sponsored research examining problem places in Glendale, Arizona, faculty and staff from the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety at Arizona State University reached out to several valley police departments and requested official data to more systematically examine this potential problem. This report presents our findings and our recommendations.

Pima County Department of Environmental Quality monitors ambient (outdoor) air pollutants throughout eastern Pima County, including the Tucson metropolitan area and Green Valley. There are six principal pollutants, called “criteria” pollutants that are monitored in accordance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency to comply with the Federal Clean Air Act. These standards were established to protect public health and the environment from harmful levels of air pollution.

The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality has prepared this document to be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX. The purpose of the Ambient Air Monitoring Network Plan is to determine if the network is achieving the air monitoring objectives specified in 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix D, which mandate adherence to certain number, type and location requirements of monitoring sites and specific site criteria such as monitoring inlet height. The review should also determine if modifications should be made to the network (e.g. through the termination or relocation of unnecessary stations or addition of new stations). In addition, the review is necessary in order to ensure that the residents of Pima County are provided adequate, representative and useful air quality data, and to provide adequate protection to public health.

Pima County is now finalizing the long-awaited Multi-species Conservation Plan, which, if approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will streamline public-sector and private-sector development compliance with the Endangered Species Act while protecting endangered species and their habitats. In the coming months, the public will have a chance to comment on the MSCP through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s formal public comment process before it goes to the County Board of Supervisors for final adoption.This report reviews the history of the MSCP, its relationship with the award-winning Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, what benefits the MSCP will bring to the community, and what obligations the County, developers, and the taxpayers will have over time. The report also highlights other benefits of conservation actions undertaken by Pima County, including economic, recreation, and health benefits.

The purpose of this report is to highlight lands acquired with 1997 and 2004 voter-approved bond funds, provide a historical record of Pima County’s land conservation efforts and consider how these properties contribute to Pima County’s long-term vision – the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. The report also provides a special feature on the evolution of conservation and land use planning in Pima County.