By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona Republican legislative leaders are backing Congressman Andy Biggs’ proposed $19 billion plan to expand water supplies and accelerate infrastructure projects throughout the Colorado River Basin.
The Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act, introduced by Biggs (R-AZ-05) last week, would authorize funding for water augmentation, desalination, storage, treatment, recharge, and conveyance projects across the seven Basin states.
Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29), and several Republican committee leaders have announced their support for the proposal, arguing that Arizona needs to focus on developing additional water supplies as uncertainty continues over the Colorado River.
“Arizona can’t make it rain or snow, but we can take action to secure our water future,” said Petersen.
Petersen said state lawmakers worked with Biggs to ensure Arizona priorities were incorporated into the federal proposal.
“Arizona has known for years that shortages could put the Central Arizona Project at risk, Petersen said. “Valuable time to develop alternative supplies has already been lost, and we cannot afford to lose any more. That’s why we worked with Congressman Biggs to make sure Arizona’s priorities helped shape this federal plan.”
One of the bill’s central provisions would establish a $5 billion Colorado River Basin Water Augmentation Program for projects that increase, store, treat, or transport water.
States, tribes, municipalities, utilities, nonprofit organizations, and private entities could seek funding under the program.
The federal government would provide $2 for every $1 in non-federal funding, with priority given to projects that increase available water supplies, benefit multiple states, address municipal water needs, or reduce dependence on the Colorado River.
Montenegro said the proposal represents a shift from negotiations over how existing Colorado River supplies should be divided toward projects intended to increase available water.
“Congressman Biggs has put forward a serious proposal that addresses the problem Arizona should have started preparing for years ago: we need more water,” Montenegro said. “For too long, the discussion has centered on how to divide a declining supply. This legislation takes a better approach by removing unnecessary federal delays and putting real resources behind projects that can increase supply. Long-term water augmentation is the path forward.”
The proposal would also change the federal permitting process for qualifying water projects. Agencies would have 30 days to determine whether an application is complete and 180 days to make a final decision, with a limited 90-day extension.
Certain qualifying projects would also be exempt from review under the National Environmental Policy Act while remaining subject to other applicable federal requirements.
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16), who chairs the Senate Natural Resource Committee, said increasing the Basin’s overall supply should be part of the long-term response to Colorado River shortages.
“Our job is to make sure Arizona families and businesses have reliable water without driving up costs,” said Shope. “We cannot solve a water shortage by arguing over smaller and smaller shares of the river. We need to make the pie bigger, and this bill gives Arizona and the other Basin states practical ways to bring more water into the system.”
Another major component of the legislation involves the Yuma Desalting Plant.
The bill would direct the U.S. Department of the Interior to restore the plant to operational status within 180 days and authorize $1 billion for restoration, operation, modernization, and expansion.
According to a press release from the Legislature, treating agricultural drainage water at the facility could help meet U.S. treaty obligations to Mexico while preserving an equivalent amount of Colorado River water in the system.
An additional $1 billion would be authorized to support seawater desalination facilities that could be used toward U.S. treaty obligations, potentially reducing the amount of Colorado River water delivered from the United States.
House Speaker Pro Tempore Neal Carter (R-LD15) said the provisions are intended to focus on developing additional sources rather than relying solely on managing existing supplies.
“We need to stop trading paper around and start bringing new, real wet water into the state. Congressman Biggs’ plan prioritizes just that,” Carter said. “Instead of focusing on scarcity, as Governor Hobbs has done by instituting water-use moratoriums and vetoing bills designed to authorize access to new water, Biggs’ bill plans for prosperity and abundance through the development of new water sources.”
The proposal would additionally authorize $12 billion for federal water infrastructure projects throughout the Basin, including potential water capture projects in California, augmentation and storage projects serving Arizona and Nevada, and infrastructure and forest restoration projects in the Upper Basin.
According to the legislation and the Arizona Legislature’s summary, the proposal would preserve existing Colorado River entitlements and state water priorities and would not modify state water rights, interstate compacts, or the Arizona v. California decree.
House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee Chairwoman Gail Griffin (R-LD19) called expanding the water supply a priority that should receive support across party lines.
“Expanding water supply should be a bipartisan priority,” Griffin said. “We need a long-term solution that protects the Colorado River system and works for everyone who depends on it. House and Senate Republicans support Congressman Biggs’ legislation and will continue working on state policies that protect existing residents, increase supply, and support rural economies.”
Biggs introduced the legislation to confront long-term questions over Colorado River operations and water availability. His office has characterized the proposal as an effort to supplement conservation and allocation negotiations with projects designed to add or preserve water supplies throughout the system.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
