Highlights
- Gov. Katie Hobbs endorsed the Desert Southwest Gas Pipeline in a May 8 news release, backing the $5.3 billion, 500-mile project.
- Sierra Club Grand Canyon chapter director Sandy Bahr called the support 'unwise and short-sighted,' warning it will lock in gas use for decades.
- Chispa Arizona's advocacy director said the decision was a win for utility corporations over Arizona residents.
- Arizona Commerce Authority CEO Sandra Watson backed the pipeline as critical to the state's high-tech economic growth.
Gov. Katie Hobbs handed a $5.3 billion win to Arizona utilities last weekend, endorsing the Desert Southwest Gas Pipeline, a methane line spanning more than 500 miles through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, and drawing immediate fire from environmental groups who say the move prioritizes corporate interests over the state's clean-energy future.
In a May 8 news release, Hobbs framed the project as an economic necessity. "The Desert Southwest Pipeline will provide a critical energy backbone that enables our existing businesses to grow and thrive, while ensuring Arizona remains an attractive destination for high-tech manufacturing, the booming clean energy economy and the technology and innovation sector," she said.
The Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona and Solar United Neighbors pushed back. Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Club's Grand Canyon chapter, called the endorsement short-sighted, arguing the pipeline will send Arizona energy dollars to Texas and entrench gas dependency for decades. Bahr said Hobbs should have waited for a fuller impact assessment before backing the project.
"We are truly disappointed with this decision. Utility corporations win again," said Vania Guevara, advocacy and political director of Chispa Arizona.
On the other side, Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, backed the pipeline as a pillar of the state's economic strategy, citing Arizona's energy reliability record as a driver of its high-tech growth.
KTAR News reported the story Tuesday. No legislative vote or regulatory timeline was included in the source material.
Where to find them
- Sierra Club · sierraclub.org · Instagram · Facebook · TikTok
- The Sierra Club · sierrawest.us · Instagram · Facebook
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- ktar.com retrieved 12/05/2026 19:40
- Sierra Club (official site) retrieved 12/05/2026 19:40
- The Sierra Club (official site) retrieved 12/05/2026 19:40
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 12/05/2026 19:40. Every claim traces to a source.
