The AP reports that hearings today in the Arizona Legislature on continuing the Arizona Dept. of Environmental Quality raised questions about the agencies role in regulating greenhouse gases and permitting uranium mining in northern Arizona. As a result, they say the Legislature may only authorize the agency to continue operating for one or two years rather than the 5-10 years that most other agencies get as a result of their "sunset" reviews.
The alternative would be to allow the U.S. EPA to assume authority in state environmental matters, a move that is unlikely to be acceptable to the Republican-controlled Legislature.