May 2011

The Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council
News Update
In This Issue
Big hitters back Rosemont
Brewer Announces Expansion of First Solar Manufacturing Company
Unions Reduce Fatality Rates in Construction
SRP floats bold green-energy goals
APS Seeks Additional Renewable Energy
Arizona Public Service Company announces RFP for 2 solar projects
BLM considers Quartzsite solar plant
Arizona aims for GE's solar plant
Regulators Approve Contract For 150-MW Sempra Generation Solar Power Plant
Mayo Hospital in northeast Phoenix to add building
University of Arizona receives $15.5 million for stadium project
Appeals court rules for Tohono O'odham in casino battle

Arizona Building Trades Elected Officials


President: Martin "Buzz" Murphy

Ironworkers 75  

602-268-1449 Ext. 11

[email protected] 

 

Vice President: Dean Wine

IBEW 640

602-264-4506

[email protected]

 

Secretary Treasurer: Gerry Stewart

Sheet Metal 359

602-275-6511

[email protected]

 

Trustee: Lonnie Tinder

Painters 86

602-244-9821

[email protected]

 

Trustee: Tom Hardie

Cement Masons 394

602-252-4278

[email protected]

 

Trustee: Dale Medley

Asbestos Workers 73 

602-225-0435

[email protected]

 

Sgt. at Arms: Randy Storr

Elevator Constructors 140

602-273-0025

[email protected]  



Address:

209 East Baseline Rd. Suite E-102 Tempe, AZ 85283

Contact Us:

480-275-4553

[email protected]

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Arizona Building Trades Members


(Click members to visit their websites)

Arizona Cement Masons, Local 394

Arizona Pipe Trades, Local 469

Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Local 3

Iron Workers, Local 75

Insulators & Asbestos Workers, Local 73

International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Local 627

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 518

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 570

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 640

International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 104

International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local 140

International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 428

International Union of Painters, Local 86

Laborers International Union of North America, Local 383

Road Sprinkler Fitters, Local Union 669

Sheet Metal Workers International Association, Local 359

United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers, Local 135


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AZ BTC News Update  

BTC logo - no white backgroundBig hitters back Rosemont

April 17, 2011

Arizona Daily Star

 
Rosemont Copper is getting help from scores of business leaders and more than a dozen union leaders in its effort to get a federal decision on its proposed mine by January.


The company sent out separate, nearly identical letters late last week signed by business and union leaders to 100 local, state and federal officials.

 

The letters ask these officials to tell the U.S. Forest Service that making a "prompt" release of the draft environmental-impact statement for the mine and closing the public comment period by the end of 2011 "will be important steps forward in helping Arizona emerge from our devastating recession."
 

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First Solar

Brewer Announces Expansion of First Solar Manufacturing Company to Mesa

PRESS RELEASE POSTED 3.17.2011

Office of the Governor


 
PHOENIX - Governor Jan Brewer today announced that First Solar Manufacturing Company, whose headquarters is located in Tempe, will expand its presence in Arizona with a 135-acre technology campus in Mesa. The company's initial investment totals $300 million and is expected to create 600 quality jobs - with the potential for far more in the years to come.
 

"This is thrilling news for Arizona. First Solar has become a global leader in the renewable energy field, and its commitment to Arizona today further cements this state's reputation as a magnet for solar investment," said Governor Brewer. "There's little doubt why Arizona continues to attract premier employers such as First Solar. Our strategic location, skilled workforce, competitive tax policy and strong quality of life make Arizona attractive to companies anxious to grow and invest." 
 

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Union YESNew Study: Unions Reduce Fatality Rates in Construction
March 28, 2011
bctd.org

 

A new study from the University of Michigan's Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy concludes that unionization in the construction industry lowers fatality rates, while so-called right-to-work (RTW) anti-union laws have the opposite effect, resulting in higher fatality rates.

 

The study compared industry (which can include people on job sites who are not building trades workers, such as drivers), and occupational (people in the building trades) fatality rates in RTW and non-RTW (or unionized) states, and found the rate of industry fatalities is 40 percent higher in RTW states, and the occupational fatality rate is 34 percent higher in RTW states.

 

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SRP logoSRP floats bold green-energy goals
Apr. 1, 2011
The Arizona Republic


Environmentalists say utility's plan is vague, overly complicated


Salt River Project might increase the amount of renewable energy and energy efficiency it uses if a proposal from management is approved by its board of directors.


SRP, a non-profit public utility, unveiled a plan Friday that would increase the amount of energy it gets from renewable energy and energy efficiency to 20 percent by 2020. 

 

APSAPS Seeks Additional Renewable Energy

April 5, 2011

www.businesswire.com

  
Company Issues Request for Proposal

 
PHOENIX - Arizona Public Service Co. announces a request for proposal for energy generated from small renewable projects.


The energy must come from projects with capacity between two and 15 megawatts with a commercial operation date by Dec. 31, 2013, for solar and wind projects and by Dec. 31, 2014, for all other technologies.


Eligible resources include biogas, landfill gas, biomass, geothermal, solar, wind, hybrid wind and certain hydropower technologies. The solicitation is part of APS's Small Generation Program, which is designed to accelerate the number of successful small renewable generation projects by streamlining the proposal and contract procedures.
  

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Arizona Public Service Company announces RFP for 2 - 15MW renewable generation; APSeligible solar projects to be operational by December 31st, 2013

April 8, 2011
www.solarserver.com 

   

On April 6th, 2011, Arizona Public Service Company (APS, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.) announced a request for proposals (RFP) for renewable energy projects, including solar projects, from 2MW - 15MW. Eligible solar projects must plan to be operational by December 31st, 2013.

The solicitation is part of APS' Small Generation Program, which APS says is designed to accelerate the number of small renewable generation projects by streamlining proposal and contract procedures. APS will hold a bidder's WebEx conference on April 19th, 2011.  

 

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BLM LogoBLM considers Quartzsite solar plant

April 9, 2011

Phoenix Business Journal  

 

The Bureau of Land Management is considering a 100-megawatt solar tower power plant being developed by SolarReserve LLC in western Arizona.

 

The project, which is listed under Quartzsite Solar Energy LLC, a subsidiary of SolarReserve, would feature a 653-foot tower and an array of mirrors on about 1,450 acres 10 miles north of Quartzsite. 

 

SolarReserve, based in Los Angeles, has two projects approved of similar design in California and Nevada, but is in line for federal loan guarantees to move forward.
 

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Solar 3Arizona aims for GE's solar plant
April 12, 2011
Phoenix Business Journal

General Electric Co.'s announcement last week that it was going to build the largest solar manufacturing plant in the U.S. certainly perked up ears in the Valley.


A couple of weeks after landing a $300 million manufacturing plant for First Solar Inc. (Nasdaq:FSLR) in Mesa, GE would seem to be a natural target for Valley groups.


Members of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council wouldn't comment either way about whether they had been in contact with GE (NYSE:GE). That's standard, given the nondisclosure agreements floating around with site-selection firms.
 

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Sempra Generation_logoRegulators Approve Contract For 150-MW Sempra Generation Solar Power Plant
April 16, 2011
San Diego, CA (PRWEB)

Construction on Mesquite Solar 1 to Begin in June  

 

Sempra Generation today announced that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has unanimously approved Pacific Gas & Electric's 20-year contract to purchase 150 megawatts (MW) of solar power from Sempra Generation's Mesquite Solar 1 facility in Arizona.  

 

With approval of the contract secured, the company plans to begin construction on the photovoltaic solar power plant in June. The project is expected to create about 300 construction jobs at peak. Mesquite Solar 1 will produce enough electricity to power approximately 56,000 average homes when completed in early 2013.
 

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Mayo Hospital in northeast Phoenix to add building
Apr. 23, 2011
tucsoncitizen.com | Arizona Republic News


Mayo clinicMayo Hospital is on the verge of starting work on another medical office building. The facility, 5777 E. Mayo Blvd., already has city permission to expand, and the new building could be the base of a new hospital tower. Mayo has been at the site, near 56th Street and Loop 101 in northeast Phoenix, since 1998.


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University of Arizona logoUniversity of Arizona receives $15.5 million for stadium project
April 25th, 2011
Tazcentral.com 

 

Arizona Stadium's north end zone construction could begin as soon as January, athletic director Greg Byrne said Monday after the school announced three donations to the project. 

 

The Arizona Wildcats plan to present a financial model to the Arizona Board of Regents capital committee in May and then meet with the full board in June. 

 

The athletic department plans to show the board how it can pay down debt service over the course of 20 to 30 years, likely with revenue from multimedia rights and other sources. 


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Appeals court rules for Tohono O'odham in casino battle
May 3, 2011
Phoenix Business Journal judge hammer
 
The Tohono O'odham Nation has won another round in its legal and political fight with the city of Glendale over the tribe's plans to build a casino near University of Phoenix Stadium and Jobing.com Arena.


The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the O'odham contention that all of the land it owns at 95th and Northern avenues is on unincorporated land. That reverses a lower state court ruling that said Glendale had annexed 45 acres of the 135-acre parcel in 2002. 

 

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