TO: EDITORS, NEWS DIRECTORS

DATE: July 23, 2001

FOR: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Margaret Trujillo Named to Arizona Power Plant & Transmission Line Siting Committee

PHOENIX - Arizona Corporation Commission Chairman Bill Mundell, Commissioner Jim Irvin and Commissioner Marc Spitzer today approved the appointment of Ms. Margaret Trujillo to the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee. The Siting Committee serves as an independent advisory committee to evaluate power plant and transmission line projects. Ms. Trujillo will fill a public representative vacancy left by George Campbell who retired earlier this year. Mr. Campbell was one of three people designated to represent the public.

The Siting Committee is made up of 11 individuals as outlined in Arizona Revised Statute 40-360.01B. Its members are:

• State attorney general or the attorney general's designee. (Chairman of Committee)

• Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources or the director's designee.

• Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality or the director's designee.

• Director of the energy office of the Arizona Department of Commerce or the director's designee.

• Chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission or the chairman's designee.

• Six members appointed by the Arizona Corporation Commission to serve for a term of two years. Three of the members shall represent the public, one member shall represent incorporated cities and towns, one member shall represent counties and one member shall be actively engaged in agriculture.

Ms. Trujillo's experience includes:

• Twenty-nine years of public administration experience in Arizona.

• Working in every level of government from a small rural community to a large metropolitan city as well as county and state government,

• Being the first woman and first Hispanic to serve as Justice of the Peace for the Tempe Precinct, and serve as Presiding Justice of the Peace for Maricopa County.

• Providing strong leadership through excellent administrative, managerial and supervisory skills.

Commission Chairman Bill Mundell called Ms. Trujillo an important addition to a Committee tasked with some of the most difficult decisions facing Arizona. "Ms. Trujillo's duties as a Justice of the Peace require her to listen to conflicting testimony and make a sound decision based on the weight of the evidence," Chairman Mundell said. "I am confident that she has the skills necessary to balance the need for a reliable and affordable source of electric power with the need to protect the environment as required by the plant and line siting statutes."

Commissioner Irvin congratulated her by saying: "I am pleased to see Ms. Trujillo, a well-regarded Hispanic executive with a demanding job, add to the demands on her time by accepting this time-consuming volunteer position."

Ms. Trujillo is an Arizona native and said that she plans to consider carefully the testimony of all parties - including nearby residents and citizen groups - in upcoming power plant and transmission line siting cases. She indicated that she is prepared to meet the challenge of preserving the beauty of Arizona while still ensuring that the state's current and future power needs are served.

"Ms. Trujillo's skills will both complement and strengthen the Arizona Power Plant and Line Siting Committee and its process," Commissioner Spitzer said.

For more information about the Siting Committee, please go to the Commission's website at http://www.cc.state.az.us/news/index.htm and click on the document entitled "Frequently Asked Questions about the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee." You may also request a copy through the Public Information Office of the Arizona Corporation Commission at (602) 542-0844.

A Biography of Margaret Trujillo Follows
Margaret Trujillo

Margaret Trujillo currently serves as the Service Integration Officer for ValueOptions, Maricopa County's Regional Behavioral Health Authority. She is responsible for overseeing and directing public-funded programs and grants related to housing, jail diversion and vocational/employment. She is also responsible for coordinating relationships with the state agencies, partners and the community.

Prior to joining ValueOptions, Ms. Trujillo worked with the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections as the Community Services Administrator. She managed a $10 million budget targeted for programs and services for youth transitioning from secure institutions to home communities.

Ms. Trujillo is highly experienced and knowledgeable in all areas of the criminal justice system, with a special emphasis on juvenile justice issues. She was the first woman, and first Hispanic, to have served as the Justice of the Peace for the Tempe Precinct in Maricopa County. In addition to managing one of the highest volume courts in Maricopa, she developed numerous programs such as Work alternative, fine collections and video conferencing arraignments. She also served as Presiding Justice of the Peace for Maricopa County, where she managed and administered 21 justice courts.

Ms. Trujillo resides in the City of Tempe but travels extensively throughout the state of Arizona.