Thread by @OurGrandAZ

(Thread) Lawmakers are taking the next step towards approving measure to support the state’s soon-to-be finalized Drought Contingency Plan today, just two days before the deadline set by the federal government requiring them to pass something.

They won’t be voting on the DCP itself, but on bills that condense months of discussions among water stakeholders into measures that create mechanisms allowing the plan to function.

At 2:00 at the Capitol, the House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee will meet to discuss a handful of bills:

HB 2540
HB 2541
HB 2542
HB 2543
HB 2544
HB 2545
HJR2002

HBs 2540-44 contain identical language found in 2545. They’re only being introduced separately in order to guide discussion and that the committee will only vote on HB 2545 (the shell of the yet-to-be finalized plan) and HJR 2002, which allows ADWR’s Tom Buschatzke to sign it.

Let's start with HB 2540...
It creates the “Temporary Groundwater and Irrigation Efficiency Fund” and gives $5 million to it from the state’s general fund. That fund consists of legislative appropriations, groundwater withdrawal fees from ...

the Pinal County Active Management Area, federal grants and funds from irrigation districts there. That fund will get money from the groundwater withdrawal fee, which will not be set more than $2.50 per acre-foot per year and for groundwater and irrigation projects.

Any money that comes from that fee can only be used to fund construction and repair of wells, other groundwater infrastructure and the delivery of that water. ADWR director Buschatzke can accept and deposit funds, grants, gifts, contributions and devises into the fund.

He can also grant monies in the fund to Pinal AMA and the Harquahala irrigation district. Any leftover money after June 30, 2027 will be given “proportionally” back to the funds’ contributors, while any “uncommitted” funds will be put in the Arizona Water Banking fund.

Buschatzke will have to send an annual report to the house speaker and senate president detailing how that money is used. Read it here: azleg.gov/legtext/54leg/…

Now, HB 2541: It creates the Arizona System Conservation Fund and gives $30 million to it from AZ's general fund. Buschatzke will give that money to those forfeiting some or all of their CO River water. That water saved will help keep Lake Mead’s levels from dropping too low.

Buschatzke will also have to submit an annual report on this to legislative leaders. Read it here: azleg.gov/legtext/54leg/…

Next, HB 2542. This allows water stored in groundwater savings facilities to be used to earn long term storage credits, if Buschatzke says that stored water provides a “water management benefit to the Active Management Area where that water is stored. azleg.gov/legtext/54leg/…

Following that is HB 2543. Starting Dec. 31, the Arizona Water Banking Authority could exchange earned long-term storage credits in one Active Management Area for those earned in another AMA.

Again, it must benefit state water management and also not impair the state from fulfilling its obligation to firm Indian settlement water. Read it here: azleg.gov/legtext/54leg/…

And, last but not least on the list: HB 2544. It repeals the 2025 sunset date for effluent to be considered as “water that cannot reasonably be used directly” and allows long-term storage credits to be accrued for storing it. Read here: azleg.gov/legtext/54leg/…

So, again, all of those bills we briefly went over are packaged into this 28-page bill, HB 2545. It'll be the only one voted on other than HJR 2002. Some representatives are expected to introduce amendments for it, but we'll wait and see. Read 2545 here: azleg.gov/legtext/54leg/…

After the committee votes on HB 2545, they will consider HJR 2002, which gives ADWR director Buschatzke authority to sign a DCP if and when one is presented to him. Read that here: azleg.gov/legtext/54leg/…

When those two bills are, presumably, passed today, they are expected to move to the House floor tomorrow for discussion. Meanwhile, the Senate will begin this same process with an identical set of bills tomorrow.

So, that’s the gist. But if you want all of the details, watch the hearing through the live stream below and follow @DustinGardiner, @AndrewNicla and @ByIanJames for updates.
azleg.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.ph…