Press Releases

Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04), Senator Martha McSally, and La Paz County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Holly Irwin released the following statements about the introduction of the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act. 

“The La Paz County Land Conveyance Act of 2019, which was signed onto law last year, has already been a great success for La Paz County. The La Paz Solar Development and Job Creation Act will build on that success and ensure that Arizonans will have affordable energy and more job opportunities. This bipartisan bill empowers local government to make land management decisions that better their own communities, something I want to see more of,” said Gosar.  

“In a county like La Paz with such a massive federal footprint, sometimes it takes a literal act of Congress to open up opportunities for economic development,” said U.S. Senator Martha McSally. “We did just that last year when we got the bipartisan La Paz County Land Conveyance Act passed into law so the county could move forward with plans to increase solar energy production. Our bill introduced today picks up where we left off by giving La Paz County officials greater control over land management decisions in their own community while creating new, high paying jobs for the county’s residents.”

"We thank Senator Sinema, Senator McSally and Rep. Gosar for introducing the La Paz County Solar Development and Job Creation Act of 2020. This important legislation continues La Paz County’s strategy to promote economic vitality and provide jobs for our residents through sustainable solar power renewable energy development. La Paz County is home to the world’s best solar resources. This area is immediately adjacent to the Ten West transmission line linking these renewable resources directly to Phoenix and southern California. This bill builds on prior phase 1 legislation enacted in 2019 which has enabled La Paz County to announce development of the largest planned PV solar project in the United States. As with phase 1, this land will be sold to the County for fair market value with the full involvement of the CRIT Tribe, other community stakeholders and in compliance with all environmental laws," said Supervisor Irwin. 

The text of the bill can be seen HERE. 

A summary of the bill can be seen HERE. 

This legislation follows the passage of my bill, the La Paz County Land Conveyance Act of 2019, which was included in the bi-partisan lands package last year. More information on that bill can be seen HERE. The Senate companion bill for the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act will be introduced by Senator Kyrsten Sinema.