Earth Matters / NM Legislative & ISC Updates

AWSA/Gila River News from Santa Fe

In this week’s edition of Earth Matters, co-producer and GRIP executive director Allyson Siwik continues our Roundhouse coverage of Gila River bills that were taken up by the Senate Conservation Committee last week, as well as excerpts from the February 26 Interstate Stream Commission meeting.

A substitute bill for Senate Bill 542 and SB455 to require legislative oversight, public participation, and fiscal responsibility in the ISC’s Arizona Water Settlements Act planning process passed out of the Senate Conservation committee on Tuesday March 3.  Sponsored by Senator Sander Rue, SB542 was heard first on February 26.  There were a few concerns by Senate Conservation committee members with the complexity of the bill so it was sent back to Sen. Rue to address those concerns which were dealt with in the substitute bill.  We’ll be airing excerpts from both the February 26 and March 3 committee hearings.

There was also good news for Grant County and southwest New Mexico coming out of the Interstate Stream Commission meeting on February 27. The ISC finally approved $2.1M in funding for the Grant Co. Water Commission regional water project.  Commissioners also approved a motion to relax the conditions on access to $3M in AWSA funding for municipal conservation.  Earth Matters airs excerpts from the ISC meeting related to the discussion of the Grant Co. Regional Water Supply Project.  Excerpts from the Municipal Conservation discussion are available via podcast below.

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Earth Matters / NM Legislative & ISC Updates