Land department cancels controversial lease of state land to company growing alfalfa
The state Land Department on Monday canceled one of the controversial leases of state land to a company that has been growing alfalfa for export to Saudi Arabia.
‘Gatekeeper’ Rep. Griffin thwarts groundwater bills
Rural Arizonans are growing increasingly frustrated with Rep. Gail Griffin’s inaction on groundwater regulation.
Why proposed rural groundwater control bills are bad
There has been a lot of talk recently about rural groundwater bills not getting a hearing at the Arizona Legislature. Over the years, proposed legislation has gone by many names, including “Groundwater Conservation Areas,” “Special Management Areas,” “Rural Management Areas,” and “Local Groundwater Stewardship Areas.” Regardless of the name, the concept is the same, and all are bad[...]
Hobbs should terminate the Saudi lease in Butler Valley
In recent months Kris Mayes, the newly elected Attorney General, has urged Governor Hobbs to deny Fondomonte’s application to renew a lease. All Arizonans should also urge Governor Hobbs to direct the State Land Commissioner to reject the lease application and to restore the Butler Valley as a designated groundwater reserve to be held in trust for Arizona’s future.
9th Circuit denies bid by environmentalists and tribes to block lithium mine
The latest bid by conservationists and tribal leaders to block construction of a huge lithium mine already in the works along the Nevada-Oregon line was denied by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday.
One Rio Verde plan dies, another advances
House members approved a new measure to get water to the Rio Verde community Monday that Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, is offering as an alternative to appease Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, and the Senate killed an alternative plan.
Kolodin’s ‘Trojan Horse’ targets Scottsdale water
While addressing Rio Verde Foothills (RVF) residents on Jan. 28, Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, vowed “to break the rock,” referring to a hostile takeover of Scottsdale Water. HB2561 is just that, a frontal attack on the residents of Scottsdale who have invested in the best water technology, expert personnel, and water portfolio in the country.
Time for Senate to act to put more tools in Arizona’s water toolbox
We must move with urgency to save our state from a manageable shortage that has metastasized into a deadly cancer due to spools of red tape and a federal government that sometimes seems like it wouldn’t care much if Arizona blew away on the wind.
Mayes sues several major companies for producing, selling ‘forever chemicals’
Attorney General Kris Mayes is suing several major companies for producing and selling "forever chemicals'' that they knew or should have known are hazardous.
ADWR completes Kingman area ‘basin sweep’
A team of Arizona Department of Water Resources field researchers recently completed a two-month-long “basin sweep” in the northwestern part of the state, intensively evaluating the underground water levels in the Northwest Basins Planning Area that surrounds the city of Kingman.
Secure rural Arizonans’ water future now
To the members of the Arizona Legislature and the governor – we ask for your leadership on water for the State of Arizona, for all our communities.
Groups pushing local groundwater bill
Advocacy groups are making efforts to revive rural groundwater legislation that’s languished in the Legislature this session – the same fate it has suffered for several years running.