PHOENIX — An Arizona candidate hoping to influence energy and water policies in the state frequently shares false messages online that promote the fossil fuel industry.
Republican Rachel Walden of Mesa also espouses conspiracy theories about a range of hot-button topics and called the green energy industry “a deep state issue.”
Critics question Walden’s judgement.
When asked about comments she has made supporting conspiracy theories, Walden told 12News by email she did not recall some claims referenced and is committed to ensuring ratepayers have just and reasonable rates.
“I am focused on questions relevant to my campaign,” Walden said by email.
Walden: 'That’s how the climate change ruse is used'
Walden tells 12News that if elected, she will lean into her background in finance to examine operating expenses and capital investments of utilities. Speaking in recent debates, she said she supported a “mixed portfolio” of energy sources.
But that message of pragmatism contrasts sharply to Walden’s social media posts and to what she told a conspiracy theory podcast host.
“I think that green energy is a deep state issue, I really do,” Walden told the host of Citizen Media News podcast at an “America First” event in January. “It’s like, this is our agenda and our agenda is to prop up China. That’s really our agenda. It’s not sustainability and it’s not green because green energy isn’t green… It doesn’t make any sense. That’s how the climate change ruse is used.”
Walden: 'I’m very open-minded'
“The fact Rachel Walden has these pretty extreme beliefs and is disputing agreed-upon climate science is really concerning,” said Keriann Conroy, researcher at the Energy and Policy Institute, a utility watchdog nonprofit promoting renewable energy.
During the podcast Walden also discussed conspiracy theories about “the great reset” and JFK. In one exchange, the host opined about a CIA conspiracy.
“The MS-13 gang was a creation of the CIA,” he said.
“Oh my gosh. I mean, I believe it. Like, I’m very open-minded, I’ll tell you that. I would believe that,” Walden responded.
During the interview, Walden laments a “war” on fossil fuels.
“Obama started a war on coal. Biden started the war on natural gas,” Walden said.
One post shared by Walden states, “Electric cars pollute 1,850 times more than fuel-based vehicles.” The post was later flagged by Twitter as “debunked” for “major errors.” Another post calls U.N. sustainable development goals “a model for tyranny.”
'Altering the ocean before our eyes'
Three Republicans and three Democrats are running to fill a total of three vacant seats on the powerful Arizona Corporation Commission.
Commissioners must act as judges and adhere to strict ethical rules. They are prohibited from showing even an appearance of bias in rate cases involving major utilities like APS and Southwest gas.
If Walden wins one of the three open seats, she will likely be in sync with the two sitting Commissioners Kevin Thompson and Nick Myers, who are rolling back longstanding sustainability mandates and rooftop solar incentives. Both Thompson and Myers donated to Walden’s campaign.
“We have to be very, very careful for any mandates that go on for these utility companies,” Walden said during a debate.
Myers led efforts last year to scrap renewable energy and efficiency standards altogether. Incumbent Lea Marquez Petersen’s record on those policies is mixed but she recently said she opposes new renewable energy benchmarks, saying they’ve served their purpose.
Democrats Jonathon Hill, Joshua Polacheck, and Ylenia Aguilar generally favor implementing regulations to promote rooftop solar policies and sustainability goals.
“We know that the expansion of renewables such as solar and wind will put Arizona as the green leaders we are meant to be,” Aguilar said at a recent debate.
Climate change science is rarely discussed at the Commission, but part of the mission of regulators is to ensure the well-being of Arizonans. The long-held consensus by every major scientific body worldwide, including NASA and NOAA, is that it is extremely likely human-caused emissions fuel higher temperatures, longer droughts and intense marine heatwaves.
“Greenhouse gases from human activities are altering the ocean before our eyes,” NASA states on its website.
'We’re seeing a resurfacing of climate denial'
Conroy said Walden’s candidacy reflects a trend.
Over the past couple decades both Republicans and Democrats serving on utility commissions at least somewhat acknowledged climate change science and are open to pro-renewable policies.
“But we’re seeing this resurfacing of climate denial,” Conroy said. “And we’re seeing the current Commission rubber-stamp every ask of the utilities, often against the recommendations of the consumer advocate RUCO. And we see Rachel Walden and other Republican candidates in this election say they are ready to do the same.”
Asked in writing if she acknowledges conclusions about climate change by NASA, Walden did not respond.
Walden’s social media feed amplifies articles by influencer Alex Epstein, author of ‘The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.' Epstein downplays the impact of climate change and writes, “If you want to make the world a better place, one of the best things you can do is fight for more fossil fuel use – more burning of oil, coal, and natural gas.”
Walden linked COVID vaccines with abortions
Walden, a sitting Mesa School Board Member, recently garnered publicity for filing a lawsuit against the school district that was funded by a MAGA legal group. The lawsuit contested the district’s policies for transgender students. The case was dismissed.
Walden’s feed also contains misleading claims about public school funding and COVID. One post falsely alleges a known link between COVID vaccines and abortions.
Walden focuses on criticism of solar, not fossil fuels
Conspiracies usually mix facts with assumptions. For example, Walden criticizes a “deep state” of profiteers for outsourcing renewable manufacturing
“Green energy, it’s rare earth mineral mining that’s dangerous and it’s dirty and it happens in Africa and it happens in China,” Walden said.
It is true that most renewable technology is outsourced to other countries. The process extracts precious resources, produces emissions, and relies on labor conditions the U.S. does not control.
However, Walden leaves out the long-term environmental benefits of solar panels when discussing the issue.
“There is no way to derive energy without some impact. But the impact of manufacturing and use of solar, is pretty disproportionate to coal or gas,” Conroy said.
Federal researchers conclude a “PV energy payback analysis” of solar panels shows they make up for their carbon footprint during construction within one to four years. They last for around 30 years and unlike oil and natural gas, do not emit greenhouse gases and do not require water to run.
Solar costs have also fallen more than 90%, and many studies now conclude it is the cheapest form of energy.
Walden also criticizes windmills.
“My thing with wind energy is the square footage it takes up. That’s what sucks about it,” Walden told the podcast host.
'Utilities loathe programs that eat into their revenues'
The race is also about what role government should have in encouraging energy policies.
In one April social media post, Walden said rooftop solar customers should “pay their fair share of energy,” and wrote that since 2019 non-solar APS customers are “subsidizing” the10% of customers who have solar.
Her post reflects a philosophy by Myers, who Walden said in a podcast recruited her to run for the Commission.
Critics say what Walden, Myers and others conveniently omit when they lambast solar energy and sustainability policies is the fact that rooftop solar customers dip into their own pockets to install their systems while rooftop solar provides benefits for the entire grid.
A 2022 energy efficiency report filed by the state’s largest utility, APS, documented $1.3 billion in “net benefits” from energy efficiency programs alone over two decades. The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project claims for every one dollar of ratepayer money spent on APS and TEP energy efficiency programs, utilities have returned $3.64 in “total benefits” to ratepayers.
“If not for highly effective programs like rooftop solar and energy efficiency, utilities would need to build new power plants and charge everyone higher rates,” said Abhay Padgaonkar, a data analyst who has helped expose APS overcharging of customers.
Padgaonkar says those programs have allowed household usage in APS territory to decrease 2% over the past decade, despite increasingly extreme summers.
“Utilities loath these programs that eat into their revenues and guaranteed profits. So, of course, the Republican toadies are falling in line to dismantle every one of them,” Padgaonkar said.
A SEC report filed by APS three years ago acknowledged that renewable energy technologies threaten profits, and a witness testifying in the APS rate hearing last year said utilities oppose customer-sided energy policies because they cut into the profits of utilities /article/news/local/arizona/aps-witness-utilities-prioritize-shareholder-profits-over-customer-sided-renewables/75-d2a23c10-7c21-4c6b-8013-fbc0d0969adb .
Some bios claim Walden earned A Masters Degree
While researching Walden’s background, 12News found a discrepancy about Walden’s education history on various websites.
Three election websites in Arizona, including Ballotpedia, state Walden has a Master’s Degree. The Tucson Agenda candidate guide states on Walden’s bio: “Education: BS and MA, ASU.” Walden said the Tucson Agenda filled out the information and she has asked them to correct it.
However other websites are vague.
Walden did not finish her Master’s program at ASU.
The Center for Arizona Policy “AZVoterGuide” lists Walden’s bio stating: “Education: Bachelor’s of Science ASU, Master’s of Arts program ASU.” The conservative nonprofit states on its website that candidates filled out the questionnaires.
Walden’s campaign website states she “continued at ASU for a Master of Arts.” It does not state she did not finish the program.
While speaking on the Breaking Battlegrounds podcast as a Mesa school board candidate in 2021, Walden said “in the early 2000’s” she completed her coursework for a Masters Degree in history at ASU and was selected to conduct research in England. Walden said she ultimately was kicked out of the program while working on a thesis.
“The teachers got together, and they kicked me out,” Walden said. “They wanted me to write everything in the lens of race and class.”
Walden said she saw “indoctrination” at ASU and she alleged it is happening today “all the way down to kindergarten” through social and emotional learning.
According to the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, social and emotional learning involves a range of skills meant to promote academic success and well-being. Critics allege it promotes progressive ideology and distracts from core academic goals.
Walden tells 12News she has never mis-represented her educational background.
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