Drought contingency plan approved with added Pinal benefits
via Governor Doug Ducey Twitter
Gov. Doug Ducey signed a drought contingency plan Thursday afternoon, just six hours ahead of the deadline for the state to act or face having its Colorado River water supply determined by a federal official.
The move followed the near unanimous vote of both the House and Senate. But that came despite objections from some legislators who questioned why the state was not just allowing Pinal County farmers to once again pump groundwater for their crops but was also going to provide cash to help them do it.
The deal provides $9 million in cash to help construct new wells and the systems to deliver the water to farmers, with $7 million directly from state taxpayers and another $2 million already in the coffers of the Department of Water Resources. Several lawmakers pointed out the original offer was for just $5 million overall.
