A majority of the work performed by ADEQ's Nonpoint Source Program is funded by Clean Water Act grants, awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency which requires States to report annually on progress in meeting the schedule of milestones contained in their nonpoint source management plans, and report reductions in nonpoint source pollutant loadings and improvement in water quality resulting from program implementation.

The Arizona Department of Transportation, through the Planning Assistance for Rural Areas (PARA) program, awarded funding for the City of Sierra Vista Safe Bicycle and Pedestrian Routes Plan. Improving bicycle and pedestrian safety has many benefits to the city of Sierra Vista and its residents. Improving and providing safe bicycle and pedestrian facilities provides a viable transportation option for those people who cannot or do not drive. In addition, it is anticipated that development of a network of safe bicycle and pedestrian routes will increase the number of bicycle and pedestrian trips, thus reducing reliance on personal vehicles.

With the advent of multi-modal transportation planning, and given that most of the major metropolitan areas in Arizona have implemented bicycle and pedestrian plans, it is now desirable that ADOT develop a bicycle and pedestrian plan that encompasses all of Arizona. The major intent of the Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is to provide a long-term plan for a system of shared roadways and bicycle and pedestrian facilities for the ADOT State Highway System. This includes the definition of the roles of the State and local government in the continual development of the bicycle and pedestrian transportation system in Arizona. It also includes the identification of all existing bicycle and pedestrian plans of the MPOs within Arizona to address the relationship between ADOT and the jurisdictions in the advancement of these plans. In addition, this plan includes design and maintenance guidelines for consideration by all implementing agencies in Arizona. Most importantly, this statewide bicycle and pedestrian plan guides ADOT in making transportation decisions impacting bicycling and pedestrian activity, and improves the accommodation of these non-motorized modes of transportation within Arizona’s multi-modal transportation system.

The Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Phase II Plan focuses on implementing some of the main recommendations of the Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Phase I Plan. This includes the development of documents for statewide distribution, the development of plans for a number of future programs, and significant improvements to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program website.

This study involved the review of 417 ADEQ LUST site files and compilation of relevant data from 323 of these sites into an electronic database. It also involved the collection and analysis of over 700 supplemental groundwater samples, the assessment of aquifer flow properties from 32 wells at 11 sites, and more detailed characterization at six LUST sites representative of a range of conditions at AZ LUST facilities. In addition, over 300 groundwater level measurements were performed and 175 monitoring wells were re-surveyed in order to assess errors in standard practice and their impact on groundwater flow direction determination. An empirical analysis of groundwater impacts at AZ LUST sites was conducted using these data sets, with emphasis on identifying relationships between site conditions (e.g., geology, depth-to-groundwater, etc.) and groundwater impacts. Finally, a combined theoretical-spatial (GIS) analysis was performed to identify LUST scenarios posing the greatest threats to use of groundwater resources.

In March 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requested information on efforts to monitor and protect children from exposure to lead in drinking water at schools. The Arizona Department of Health Services reviewed the state lead poisoning registry, and analyzed drinking water samples from 45 randomly selected schools. The Office of Environmental Health provided this consultation to help document our findings and supplement our response to the EPA. This work was also undertaken to help provide useful information should hazardous waste sites be discovered in the future near these schools. We also wanted to apply the ATSDR health assessment process in support of state and federal efforts to protect the health of children.

This Additional Site Characterization Work Plan presents a strategy for collecting site characterization information at the closed Maricopa County Cave Creek Landfill to support ongoing remedial action planning for trichloroethene-impacted groundwater underlying the site. The Work Plan supplements previous remedial investigation work plans prepared to characterize the nature and extent of site contamination.