Federal Judge Denies Native American Tribes' Request to Block $10 Billion Energy Transmission Project in Arizona

A federal judge in Arizona has denied a request by Native American tribes to temporarily block the construction of the $10 billion SunZia Southwest Transmission Project, a high-voltage transmission line intended to increase access to renewable energy. Judge Jennifer Zipps ruled that the tribes, including the Tohono O'odham Nation and the San Carlos Apache Tribe, had waited too long to file a lawsuit challenging the project's route through the San Pedro Valley.

The 550-mile-long transmission line is expected to carry mostly wind-derived energy from New Mexico to customers in California and Arizona. The Biden administration has supported the SunZia project as part of its broader push to expand clean energy access across the United States.

The plaintiffs had claimed the development could disturb ancestral villages, burial grounds, and other sacred sites, but the judge rejected their request to block construction. Judge Zipps found that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) complied with its obligations under the National Historic Preservation Act to identify culturally significant properties and consider measures to mitigate potential harms.

The project, approved in 2015, is expected to begin commercial service in 2026, carrying over 3,500 megawatts of wind power to 3 million people. However, the project is also being challenged in the Arizona Court of Appeals, where the court is being asked to consider whether state regulatory officials properly considered the benefits and consequences of the project.

Why this matters: The judge's decision to allow the SunZia transmission project to move forward has significant implications for the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure in the United States. It also highlights the ongoing tensions between energy development and the protection of Native American cultural sites and ancestral lands.

In her ruling, Judge Zipps stated that the plaintiffs were years too late in bringing their claims and that the Bureau of Land Management had fulfilled its obligations to identify historic sites and prepare an inventory of cultural resources. The government argued that the project route avoids direct impacts to cultural resources identified in surveys. The transmission line is a key part of the Biden administration's renewable energy initiative, aiming to deliver wind power to millions of customers in the Southwest.

Key Takeaways

• Federal judge denies tribes' bid to halt $10B SunZia transmission line project in AZ.
• Project aims to carry wind power from NM to CA and AZ, supporting Biden's clean energy push.
• Tribes claimed project could disturb ancestral sites, but judge ruled BLM met preservation obligations.
• Project approved in 2015, expected to begin service in 2026, delivering 3,500MW to 3M people.
• Decision highlights tensions between renewable energy and Native American cultural site protection.