By Melissa St. Aude | Casa Grande Dispatch
Not yet ready to propose alternative plans to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, a group tasked with reviewing the agency’s extinguishment credit
phase-out policy wants to see a promised five-year delay implemented.
“The five-year delay is what was promised to us,” said Dick Powell, a Casa Grande businessman, city councilman and member of the Pinal Local Water Group.
Group Chairman Steve Miller, a Pinal County supervisor, suggested the request for the five-year delay be put in writing and a letter sent to the water agency and District 8 state Reps. T.J. Shope and Frank Pratt.
The water agency put in place a temporary delay last year to allow the group time to consider alternatives to the plan to gradually end extinguishment credits. The temporary delay expires in September.
The normal process for ADWR to implement a five-year delay takes about six months and proceedings could begin as late as May if done on an emergency basis, said Jeff Tannler, director for ADWR’s statewide active management areas.
