Wildlife Protection Programs
The APS Forestry and Special Programs Department (APS F&SP) is responsible for administering a variety of operations-related environmental programs associated with vegetation management, wildlife protection, landscaping, wood preservation and electrical hardware inspection. To meet the compliance requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other pertinent regulations, the department has evolved to include a dedicated staff of degreed natural resource professionals including foresters, arborists, wildlife specialists, biologists, an environmental resources specialist, a herpetologist, and an archaeologist.  

Arizona's environment provides ideal habitats for a variety of birds of prey, or raptors. Raptors are naturally drawn to power poles because they offer a high place to perch, roost, nest and hunt. The large wing spans of raptors, however, make them vulnerable to harm by the electricity being carried on the power lines. The most common raptors affected in the APS territory include Harris hawks, red-tailed hawks and great horned owls.

APS F&SP, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), has developed a comprehensive Avian Protection Plan. Also, the company has implemented new construction design standards that require the installation of raptor protection devices and coverings to shield electrical components. In 2006, all new construction was installed in accordance with these raptor safe standards and hardware on over 700 existing poles was modified with protection coverings. Likewise, on all new substation installations, wildlife protective coverings are installed. In addition, 90 substations were retrofitted with wildlife protection devices in 2006.

Protecting birds from electrical contact also increases safety for members of the cat family, raccoons, squirrels and other wildlife whose curiosity and foraging habits draw them to climb power poles and other electrical facilities. APS is a member of the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee and has worked closely with this group to revise the industry’s “Suggested Practices for Raptor Protection on Power Lines” manual.

In 2005, APS partnered with the USFWS on the agency’s California Condor Restoration Project by installing a series of poles and mildly-electrified overhead wires at the project area located at the upper end of the Grand Canyon. Because power poles and lines pose a significant hazard to condors with their nine-foot wingspan, these artificial power lines are used to train young condors to avoid electric lines before they are released.

As a continuation of the Condor Project, in 2006 APS donated and installed a 1.5-ton array of nine solar panels – enough to supply 30 amps of power to the holding pen and to a field lab on top of the cliffs. This will keep the water supply thawed through the winter, make it possible for the staff to utilize video cameras for remote observation and supply electricity directly to the field lab. Click here to learn more about the this program.

APS has completed habitat enhancement projects in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation and has developed right-of-way corridor vegetation management plans that will improve habitat for wild turkeys and other wildlife. APS is currently collaborating with the Federation, the Forest Service, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department on a wild turkey habitat restoration project on Mingus Mountain in central Arizona.

The company also conducts a comprehensive nest-management program. When birds build their nests on electrical equipment it becomes necessary to take action. If the nest is occupied, permits must be obtained from the USFWS permitting office. APS has developed a nest platform that is installed on the pole in a safe place, the nest is relocated to this platform, and the chicks are placed back in the nest. The adults return soon after to care for their young. In most cases birds return year after year to these same nests. A specification for this work was developed in 2006.

APS is involved in many other environmental and wildlife protection efforts:

• Wildlife specialists work closely with wildlife rehabilitation organizations to construct artificial homes for burrowing owls displaced as a result of development. APS provides the equipment and people necessary to construct underground burrows that that serve to hold an entire colony of burrowing owls
• The department is currently involved in a biological-assessment project in conjunction with the USFWS. More than 1,000 miles of the company’s right-of-way corridors are being evaluated to determine their value to wildlife habitat and to identify areas of concern as they relate to the company’s field operations. This multi-year project began in 2006. The company has dedicated two degreed biologists to this project on a full-time basis
• APS collaborates on projects and partnerships with other agencies and non-profit groups for public awareness and education. In 2006 APS partnered with Liberty Wildlife at several birding events including the Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival, ASU Earth Day, and National Public Lands Day
• The company works closely with the Southwest Bald Eagle Association. Each year the company donates approximately 20 hours of helicopter flight time to transport Arizona Game and Fish personnel on their annual Bald Eagle Nest inspections. Highlights of the 2006 patrol include finding a new active nest, four baby Eaglets that had fallen out of their nest were rescued, ten nest sites were inspected and 8 new fledglings were tagged and registered

Cultural Resource Program
Arizona's landscape has experienced a significant amount of history spanning from the wild-west era to pre-historic civilizations. To reduce the possibility of damaging national historical treasures and to ensure the company is in compliance with current regulations, APS added a professional archaeologist to its staff. In addition to coordinating the cultural resource compliance component of new construction projects, efforts are underway to survey the majority of the company’s existing transmission system.

Forestry Program
The Forestry Program includes the maintenance and control of trees, shrubs and brush growing around APS facilities and equipment – including overhead power lines, poles, guys and underground electrical equipment. Our Vegetation Management program follows professional industry tree-trimming standards to limit damage and improve overall tree health. We follow the Edison Electric Institute’s (EEI) strategy on minimizing pesticide use.

Staff arboricultural professionals including both degreed Foresters and Arborists direct these programs. All operations are performed in accordance to ANSI A-300 Standards for Tree Care. All supervisors and crew leaders are required to earn and maintain professional certification as International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborists. Crew members are required to earn and maintain certification as ISA Tree Workers. APS provides an extensive amount of ongoing arboricultural training.

The high-quality standards of the Forestry and Special Programs' vegetation management efforts have been recognized for the tenth consecutive year with the National Arbor Day Foundation’s “Tree Line USA Utility” distinction. The department was lauded for administering a superior program of professional tree care, providing annual worker training, as well as implementing tree planting and public education programs related to proper tree care.

It is often necessary to remove established tall-growing species of trees that are growing near power lines. In many circumstances the company provides the customer with low-growing replacement trees. The department has launched a massive tree replacement project in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Thousands of existing street trees which normally require routine trimming in order to provide safe clearances from overhead wires are being removed and replaced with appropriate low-water use trees that do not grow tall enough to affect power lines. This is truly a win-win project.

Every year, APS F&SP visits at least ten local elementary schools to host Arbor Day celebrations. These events involve an educational component involving the importance of trees in the environment. This is followed by a tree-planting ceremony on the school's grounds.

APS F&SP has developed a Web site to educate and inform customers about the department’s various programs, and to address questions and concerns.

	"Bill Post and Arizona Public Service demonstrated remarkable corporate stewardship in their actions for Fossil Creek and American Rivers is proud to call them our partner."  --- American Rivers 2005 Annual Report ---

Decommissioning of the Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Power Plants
In 2006, APS continued its efforts to decommission APS' Childs and Irving hydroelectric power plants and restore Fossil Creek to its original flow. So far, the crews at the Childs-Irving Power Plant decommission site have successfully removed more than 8,700 feet of steel flume on wood trestle, more than 5,400 feet of concrete and steel flume below the Irving Power Plant site, and the majority of facilities at the Childs Power Plant site. Recently the crews combined to complete one of the largest construction projects to date, removal of Bridge 10, also known as the Big Red Pipe.

In 2007, crews will continue to remove wood, steel and concrete flume and the Fossil Springs Dam. 

Recently, this effort was the subject of a documentary film narrated by actor Ted Danson and produced by five-time Emmy award-winning producer, Paul Bockhorst. 

In explaining the decision to support decommissioning of these facilities, Bill Post, Pinnacle West CEO and Chairman of the Board, told producers: "As we looked at the opportunity to give the residents of the state of Arizona a perennial stream in the desert...there is no option to that.  We can find other ways to generate electricity.  We cannot find other perennial streams in the desert."