Plans to alter water law face opposition

PHOENIX — Top officials in the Ducey administration are reaching out to the media — and by extension, the public — in a bid to undermine changes in water law being pushed by a Southern Arizona lawmaker.

Kirk Adams, the governor’s chief of staff, said the legislation by Sen. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, contains some pieces that are unacceptable to his boss. Most notable is a provision that could result in developers -- primarily in Cochise County but not necessarily limited to there -- getting around requirements that they show there is sufficient water to sustain their projects.

Tom Buschatzke, director of the Department of Water Resources, also said there are flaws in language designed to deal with whether there really is water for development in Pinal County.

But Adams said the real problem with SB 1507 and companion House legislation offered by Rep. Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, is what it does not have: A clear water conservation plan that would preserve the ability of Arizona to keep withdrawing water from the Colorado River in the face of the ongoing drought.

Adams said that is crucial because the level of Lake Mead is reaching a critical low. And at that point, the multi-state deal that resulted in federal dollars to build the Central Arizona Project, it would be Arizona that would be the first to have its water supply cut off.

The governor’s top aide said he and his staff are working directly with both Griffin and Bowers in a bid to make changes. But he also has taken the unusual -- and possibly unprecedented -- step of reaching out to reporters to generate stories designed to put pressure on lawmakers to make the legislation, up for debate this coming week, more acceptable to the governor.

Griffin expressed some surprise when being informed of the outreach effort. But her only on-the-record response was, “that’s interesting.’’

Adams said this isn’t the first time the governor and his top aides have taken such action in promoting legislation. He said that’s the process that occurred before Ducey introduced a comprehensive measure designed to deal with opioid addiction.

But the difference is that this public outreach is occurring after lawmakers have introduced a measure with things Ducey does not want and missing things he does. Adams said that what’s at stake here requires such action.

“Not all issues are created equal,’’ he said.

“Water is of critical importance to the future of the state,’’ Adams said. “And it requires proactive management, proactive thought. And that’s what the governor’s bringing to the table here.’’

Griffin, for her part, recognizes she has to deal with the governor who wields the ultimate power over legislation: his veto stamp. Ducey made it clear he would use it, vetoing two separate bills by Griffin in 2016 with provisions virtually identical to some of what she is trying to push now, saying they would have undermined the historic 1980 Groundwater Management Act.

That law resulted in five “active management areas.’’

For the Phoenix, Prescott and Tucson areas, the goal is “safe yield’’ by 2025 when the amount of groundwater withdrawn is no more than recharge. Pinal and Santa Cruz have other goals.