The City of Sedona also launched a new transit system recently, the Sedona Shuttle. The operation will have routes to four of Sedona’s most popular trailheads: Cathedral Rock, Soldier Pass, Dry Creek and Little Horse. These new routes will certainly help reduce traffic congestion as well as provide a more sustainable transportation option for residents and the millions of visitors who come annually.
Earlier this month, the AES Corporation ramped up construction of the Chevelon Butte Wind Farm, a planned 477-megawatt wind energy project located about 20 miles south of Winslow. The first phase of the project will be the 57 turbines on what was – and will continue to be – a working livestock ranch. The first phase of the project is expected to be fully operational next summer.
The project is also sensitive to northern Arizona’s unique “dark sky” characteristics, essential for our local observatories. The site will feature a radar-activated lighting system that enables federally required turbine lights to turn on only when low flying aircraft are in this remote area.
Meanwhile, a couple of weeks ago I had to the pleasure of participating in a roundtable with U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, elected officials from throughout Navajo County and utility representatives. The group discussed possible green initiatives and economic opportunities in the wake of the closure of coal-fired power plants in the region.
Navajo County Supervisor Jason Whiting said during this meeting that biomass as the result of forest thinning might be a possible source of future energy. “It’s expensive, but it’s a way to help our forests and it’s another way to produce energy,” he said.
As we work towards a more carbon neutral future, it’s heartening to see the wide array of sustainability efforts in our region and the many collaborations between the public and private sector to achieve this important goal for our planet.
