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),  Endangered Species Act (ESA) 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. All new construction is installed in accordance with these raptor safe standards and hardware on over 800 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 2007.

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 Avian Protection on Power Lines”  manual.

As a continuation of the Condor Project, 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.

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  and the project is expected to be completed in May of 2008.
• APS collaborates on projects and partnerships with other agencies and non-profit groups for public awareness and education. 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

Cultural Resource Program
Arizona's landscape has a long rich history, and many culturally significant areas. 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 Website to educate and inform customers about the department’s wildlife protection and vegetative management programs, and to address questions and concerns.

Underground Quality Assurance Program
The Underground Quality Assurance Program is a proactive approach to reducing environmental impacts caused by failed or leaking transformers.  The group consists of planners, vegetation crews, line crews and a paint crew.  The planners inspect the transformers for safety and maintenance issues and submit jobs to the required crews.  The planners along with the vegetation crew’s partner with the customer to prune/remove the minimum clearance required for field personnel to safely operate and maintain APS pad mounted equipment.  The goal is to inspect all of the transformers statewide to ensure that all leaking, rusting, PCB and sub-surface transformers are repaired.

APS' infrastructure "Footprint"
APS operates a large number of facilities located throughout Arizona and in the Farmington, New Mexico area that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to our customers. One of our highest priorities is to construct and operate these facilities in a safe, sustainable and environmentally conscious manner, protecting our land and our wildlife. 

APS Power Plants

Facility	Acres
Cholla	7,624 owned,  9,052 leased
Palo Verde	4,287 owned
Four-Corners	3,486 owned
Redhawk	1,874 owned
Saguaro	974 owned
Sundance	310 owned
West Phoenix	141 owned
Ocotillo	126 owned
Yucca	38 owned
Douglas	6 owned
Total Acres	27,917

Transmission and Distribution
Transmission lines are the power lines that bring electricity from power plants to substations in customer areas, where the voltage is lowered. Distribution lines carry electricity at lower voltages and go from substations to transformers near homes and businesses. The transformers, often located on power poles, decrease the voltage lower still so it can be used by appliances in homes or businesses.

Distribution Lines:
APS' distribution system includes 12,471 miles of overhead lines and 16,210 miles of underground lines, along with 34 distribution substations.

Transmission Lines:
APS transmission facilities include 5,759 pole miles of overhead lines and 45 miles of underground lines, along with 5 transmission substations

Office and Support Facilities
At the end of 2007, PNW owned or leased 106 facilities to support our operations, with a total of 1,558,073 square feet of building space. This included 18 APS Service Centers and 32 APS Customer Service Business Offices located across Arizona.

Transmission and Distribution Line Siting
APS conducts extensive environmental reviews for siting new transmission and distribution systems. For new power lines rated at greater than 115 kilovolts (kV), the Arizona Corporation Commission requires a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) to be issued prior to construction. APS conducts a thorough siting process covering a broad range of environmental issues and factors including, land use, cultural resources, biological resources and habitat studies for rare and endangered species. 

APS also conducts a multi-faceted public process which consists of direct mailings, open houses, newspaper advertising and multiple jurisdictional, governmental and public meetings. APS also maintains a Transmission and Facility Siting Web site that providing ongoing information about siting projects to the public.

Beyond the regulatory programs, APS has a voluntary siting process for new transmission lines that are less than 115kV and are not required to follow the state process. This voluntary process is much like the CEC process where numerous environmental factors are evaluated and the public participation process seeks to communicate transmission line siting information to local citizenry to obtain their input. This allows APS to site transmission lines in the most sustainable manner that meets project requirements.

Our Generating facilities are discussed in the Generation section of this report.