(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Pinal Partnership in this issue.)
After more than two years of complex negotiations, stakeholders from across the spectrum including farmers, homebuilders, conservationists, and policymakers have reached a consensus to support Arizona’s water future. Today, the Arizona House of Representatives passed the Ag to Urban groundwater proposal by a vote of 35 to 20, with five members absent. A mirror version of the bill cleared the Senate last week, meaning the legislation now heads to the Governor’s desk for signature. The Governor’s staff has been at the negotiating table from the beginning, and she’s signaled her support for this version. We expect it to be signed this week.
I want to thank the Pinal Partnership members that were there every step of the way. Numerous members actively participated in negotiations to ensure the best outcome for our members, Pinal County, and the aquifer. This could not happen without the hard work and collaboration between Senator TJ Shope, Grant Hanna and the Governor’s office. I also want to send out a big thank you to our lobbying team, Liz Goodman, Cole Libera and their team at Rose Law Group. They did an amazing job monitoring and navigating the bill through the legislature.
This landmark bill strengthens protections for our aquifers while providing flexibility for both agricultural and urban water use. It represents a meaningful step toward sustainable groundwater management that will benefit Arizona residents today and for generations to come.
Thank you to everyone for a job well done.
Sincerely,
Craig H. McFarland
Pinal Partnership, President & CEO
Cell: (520) 251-0687
craig@pinalpartnership.com
