Gov. Doug Ducey’s office is pushing for a spate of changes aimed at altering water laws, from groundwater rules to audits of another public body.
The proposed laws have already rankled some lawmakers and the Central Arizona Project, setting up what could be a major battle during the 2018 legislative session.
Many of the dozen proposals focus on mundane, wonky water details, but have big implications for water management in Arizona’s desert landscape, where sound water policy has allowed the nation’s fifth-largest city to grow.
Ducey’s meetings where the potential new laws are being considered are not open to the public, and neither are the proposed legislative changes. However, documents obtained by the Arizona Capitol Times from multiple sources detail the proposals from the perspective of the state.
The newspaper waded through the water acronyms to figure out what each proposal would do. Here are just some of the major proposed changes:
