By Matthew Holloway |
Three Arizona House Republicans have requested weekly, in-person briefings from Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) Director Thomas Buschatzke on Colorado River negotiations, seeking the same information provided to Gov. Katie Hobbs.
In a September 4 letter, Reps. Gail Griffin (R-LD19), Neal Carter (R-LD15), and Chris Lopez (R-LD16) asked Buschatzke to meet with them and relevant agency staff and legal counsel at least once a week. The lawmakers proposed Tuesdays at 2 p.m., while offering to arrange another mutually agreeable time.
The request follows the federal government’s decision on Colorado River operations for 2027 and 2028, which drew mixed reactions from Arizona officials. Arizona would absorb approximately 61% of the total reductions across the three Lower Basin states, with a 760,000-acre-foot reduction compared with California’s 440,000 and Nevada’s 50,000.
Griffin chairs the House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee, where Lopez serves as its vice chair, and Carter is speaker pro tempore of the Arizona House of Representatives.
In the letter, the lawmakers cited the Legislature’s authority under A.R.S. § 45-106, which requires legislative approval by concurrent resolution before an agreement between the water resources director and the United States, another state, or a government involving Arizona’s sovereign rights or claims can take effect.
“Given our unique legislative role under A.R.S. § 45-106, we believe we are entitled to receive the same briefing you would deliver to the Governor’s office or the Governor herself, free from any filters or withholding of information,” the lawmakers wrote.
The requested meetings would allow members to receive updates, ask questions, and examine the factual, policy, and legal rationale for prospective offers, terms, or decisions. The lawmakers also asked to be informed of developments as they occur.
The letter also references two pieces of correspondence from August. They said Buschatzke confirmed on August 25 that implementing a Lower Basin Agreement would require legislative approval and committed to keeping House and Senate members informed of information relevant to their decision.
The lawmakers also said Hobbs affirmed her commitment to providing relevant updates in an August 26 letter and directed Buschatzke to “continually update” them as requested.
Hobbs plans to call a special legislative session for lawmakers to vote on a water-sharing agreement between Arizona, Nevada, and California.
Hobbs highlighted her administration’s Colorado River negotiations in a June interview with 12 News. After the federal government released its proposed operating guidelines, she urged federal officials to adopt the Lower Basin states’ proposal and distribute water reductions equitably.
In August, the federal government came to an agreement with Arizona and the other Lower Basin states on Colorado River water usage. Under the deal, Arizona will lose about 61%: the most out of the Lower Basin states. The news was met with mixed reactions. Hobbs said the decision protected Arizona from deeper cuts. U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) said his initial review indicated the plan avoided the most drastic options previously announced, while U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) described the two-year reprieve as another short-term fix and called for durable agreements.
Scot Mussi, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, called the deal “a total failure of leadership” in a statement posted to X. He stated that the deal “will place most of the cuts on new single family homes while data centers and apartments get unlimited water.” He added, “Conveniently, those big water users happen to be some of your biggest campaign contributors.”
ADWR declined to comment on the lawmakers’ letter.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
