Arizona

EPA orders the Air Force, Arizona National Guard to clean up groundwater contamination

Published

2 years ago

June 12, 2024

EPA orders the Air Force, Arizona National Guard to clean up groundwater contamination

PHOENIX — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is demanding the U.S. Air Force and Arizona National Guard take action as concentrations of toxic “forever chemicals” are increasing in the groundwater in a historically contaminated area in the south side of Tuscon, Arizona.

The EPA found the pollution came from the nearby military properties and ordered them to clean up the contamination. High concentrations of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, were detected in Tucson’s groundwater near the Tucson International Airport at the National Guard base and at a property owned by the U.S. Air Force.

The contaminants threaten the groundwater extracted at a water treatment run by Tucson Water in the Tucson Airport Remediation Project area, known as TARP. That water was intended for drinking, the EPA said in its May 29 order.

Samples taken at the treatment plant showed concentrations of PFAS as high as 53,000 parts per trillion, which is 5,300 times the allowable amount. The limit allowed in drinking water ranges from 4 parts per trillion to 10 parts per trillion, depending on the type of PFAS.

To prevent the contaminations’ further migration towards city wells, the agency gave the Air Force and the Air National Guard 60 days to develop a remediation plan. The Morris Air National Guard Base leading the remediation project did not respond to the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, and its requests for comment.

Tucson Water, the city’s water utility, said the wells impacted by the contamination are not in service and customers are not being served contaminated water. But with concentrations of PFAS continuing to increase, the issue remains a concern for the city.

“When we have an area where the water quality is impacted and we’re not able to serve that to customers, that is an added cost. It really diminishes the resource that we have available,” Natalie DeRoock, a Tucson Water spokesperson said. She noted that other than the Colorado River water the city pumps in, Tucson depends on groundwater, a finite resource.

The water utility stopped serving water treated at TARP to residents in 2021, when increased PFAS levels caused the plant to temporarily shut down as the filter system sequestering the contaminants could not handle the increase.

What are PFAS? ‘Forever chemicals’ are common and dangerous.

What will remediation look like?

DeRoock said the water treated at the TARP facility exceeds state and county standards for clean water, so the city decided to divert the water to the Santa Cruz River rather than use it as drinking water. She said the city wanted people to feel confident about their drinking water, and instead decided to use that water to maintain the water levels in the Santa Cruz River and to help with the riparian habitat restoration.

As part of the EPA’s order, the remediation plan submitted by Air Force and National Guard must ensure the water is clean enough to be used as drinking water.

“With appropriate response, Tucson Water would be able to resume delivering water from the TARP facility to the drinking water system, as it was originally designed to do,” said Joshua Alexander, a spokesperson for the EPA.

Alexander said remediation is a complicated process that could take years. It could require the creation of new water treatment facilities or the modification of current existing facilities to treat an increased volume of water.

He noted several technologies that successfully remove PFAS from water, including granular activated carbon, a filtration system that uses carbon to remove contaminants from drinking water. He pointed out that new technologies are also being developed worldwide to remove PFAS from drinking water.

PFAS is a danger to public health

PFAS are long-lasting chemicals that have been used since the 1940s in a wide range of industries and products — from fire retardants and popcorn bags to personal care items and clothing — that can now be found globally in water. PFAS are considered hazardous substances that can cause severe health issues with long-term exposure, even in low traces.

Studies show PFAS exposure can negatively impact the body’s immune and cardiovascular systems, as well as vaccine response. Studies have also linked oral exposure to PFAS to adverse health effects on the liver, the kidneys, and the immune system, and cancer, according to the EPA.

Though residents in Tucson’s south side don’t receive water from TARP’s contaminated wells, past exposures and their effects worry residents. Many contend broader health screenings and compensation are still due.

Site has long history of contamination

The area has a history of contamination from decades of defense and industrial activities. The Tucson Airport Remediation Project area is a superfund site contaminated with several pollutants.

One of the primary contaminants is trichloroethylene, or TCE, formerly used as a general-purpose solvent and degreaser. Another contaminant found at the site is 1,4-dioxane, which was used as a stabilizer to enhance the life of the solvent bath for degreasing manufactured parts.

These and other hazardous materials were disposed of at the airport and eventually began seeping into the groundwater, contaminating the regional aquifer. The area was declared a superfund site in 1983 and listed as a national priority area for long-term cleanup.

Other contaminants at the site include dichloroethene, chloroform, and chromium. A carcinogenic compound, polychlorinated biphenyls, and metals contamination were also found in some soils on the site. According to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, the “contaminants of concern” may change as new data becomes available.

Reach the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com. The Republic’s coverage of southern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. Support Arizona news coverage with a tax-deductible donation at supportjournalism.azcentral.com.

Source link

Click to comment

Arizona

No. 2 Arizona tops Iowa State to win outright Big 12 title

Published

4 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

No. 2 Arizona tops Iowa State to win outright Big 12 title

TUCSON, Ariz. — Jaden Bradley scored 17 points, Motiejus Krivas had 13 and No. 2 Arizona clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title with a 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night.

The Wildcats (28-2, 15-2) secured at least a share of the conference crown by using big runs in each half to beat No. 14 Kansas 84-61 on Saturday.

Arizona earned it outright by smothering Iowa State defensively to give Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, most in NCAA history in a coach’s first five seasons.

“The Big 12 is the best basketball conference in the country,” Lloyd said while addressing the home crowd after the game, “and to win it by a couple of games, it’s pretty impressive. So take your hats off to these guys right here.”

Coming off their first home loss of the season, the Cyclones (24-6, 11-6) labored against Arizona’s physical defense, shooting 29% from the field, including 7-of-30 from 3-point range.

During his postgame news conference, Lloyd called out the narrative surrounding his team when discussing the Wildcats’ toughness and physicality.

“I think the narrative that we were soft is lazy. I mean, look at our stats, look at our analytics — we’ve always been a great rebounding team, we’ve always pounded the paint,” Lloyd said. “If you want to just be lazy and not pay attention and say we’re soft because we’re on the West Coast, be lazy, and I’d love to play against you.”

Tamin Lipsey led Iowa State with 17 points, but leading scorer Milan Momcilovic was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting. The nation’s best 3-point shooter at 51%, Momcilovic went 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.

Neither team could make much of anything, due to good defense and poor shooting.

Iowa State shot 9-of-33 from the field and 4-of-20 from 3 in the first half.

Arizona labored most of the half as the Cyclones focused on defending the paint before the Wildcats closed on a 15-3 run to lead 37-25 at halftime.

It only got worse for Iowa State to start the second half. The Cyclones missed their first eight shots as Arizona stretched the lead to 16.

Iowa State briefly found an offensive rhythm, using a 10-1 run to pull to within 44-37, but didn’t hit a field goal for more than five minutes as Arizona stretched the lead back to 15.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source link

Arizona

Arizona NAACP responds to ‘Simon Says’ case, calls for police accountability

Published

16 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Arizona NAACP responds to ‘Simon Says’ case, calls for police accountability

PHOENIX — The Arizona NAACP is responding to the violent arrest of Israel Devoe, a Phoenix man who was acquitted of all charges stemming from a 2024 traffic stop in which officers punched, kneed, and elbowed him.

Sarah Tyree, president of the Arizona NAACP State Conference, said the case is part of a broader and familiar pattern.

“What happened here reflects a pattern our communities know all too well. Time and again, we see policing tactics that are dangerous and deeply harmful to civilians, yet are later justified as ‘within policy’ through carefully crafted reports and the broad protections afforded under Graham v. Connor,” Tyree wrote in an emailed statement following an ABC15 investigation.

RELATED: Phoenix man to file lawsuit after dangerous game of ‘Simon Says’ with police

Phoenix police officials found all four officers involved in Devoe’s arrest to have acted within policy, records show.

After a two-day trial, jurors unanimously found Devoe not guilty on all four of the felony charges against him — including aggravated assault on officers and resisting arrest.

In her statement, Tyree said true accountability is not possible without changing state law.

“Accountability remains out of reach in Arizona because the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights continues to insulate misconduct from meaningful oversight, too often shifting blame onto the very communities most impacted by these encounters,” she wrote. “We also encourage Arizona voters to engage their state legislators and advocate for the repeal or amendment of the Peace Officers’ Bill of Rights to ensure systems of public safety are truly accountable to the public they serve.”

Devoe’s case again highlights problems with policing in Phoenix, which has been under scrutiny following a Department of Justice investigation that found the city had a pattern and practice of using excessive force, discrimination, and weak oversight.

ABC15 is committed to finding the answers you need and holding those accountable.

Submit your news tip to Investigators@abc15.com

The push for federal oversight ended in 2025 after the Trump administration ended such efforts across the country.

Devoe’s civil attorney, Jesse Showalter, also represents Tyron McAlpin, a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy who was violently arrested by Phoenix officers in July 2024. Showalter has said both cases reflect what he described as an accepted norm of extreme violence within the Phoenix Police Department.

A Phoenix police spokesperson said the department declines to comment because Devoe is set to file a lawsuit against the city.

This digital article was produced with the assistance of AI and converted to this platform based on the broadcast story written and reported by ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing (Dave@abc15.com). Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Source link

Arizona

Arizona Lottery Pick 3, Fantasy 5 results for March 1, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Lottery Pick 3, Fantasy 5 results for March 1, 2026

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Sunday, March 1, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers

6-4-2

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

01-07-11-18-28

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

12-17-23-31-37-42

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:

Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link