Sierra Club Arizona – Beyond Coal is working to drive the state’s transition from coal to renewables. Focused on closing all coal plants, the national Beyond Coal campaign was founded in 2002. Ylenia Aguilar, Beyond Coal’s sole staff member in Arizona, explains that the organization is fighting against energy rate hikes in the state, both through legal interventions and community organizing, as many low-income households are concerned about extreme heat amid the climate crisis. “For some families, especially, elders and people on fixed incomes, a 14% hike is a big difference. The state median income is $39,000 – families already are struggling to make ends meet. We want to hold the utility accountable.” Air pollution is another key concern in the state, and is linked to adverse health outcomes for children like allergies and asthma, whose education may also be affected. By spearheading partnerships, community outreach and roundtables, the organization highlights how renewable energy is healthier and often cheaper for local communities.
A sign at the protest outside Arizona’s corporation commission in May 2026. Photo: courtesy of Sierra Club Arizona.
The Sierra Club has some 500 staff members across the United States, while its Beyond Coal campaign has a base of 25 employees nationally. In Arizona, the Sierra Club also relies on the support of around 1,600 dedicated volunteers. Beyond Coal is currently focused on coalition building with other environmental groups, organizing press conferences, while Aguilar publishes op-eds in the press, including on Arizona’s rate case and the impact of coal plants on water scarcity. Nationally, the Beyond Coal campaign has driven the retirement of over 70% of US coal plants since 2010, through litigation and mobilizing activists on the grassroots level to advocate for clean energy. In Arizona, the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign secured the closure of the Navajo Generating Station, which was closed in 2019, and the Cholla Power Plant, which ceased operations in 2025.