Arizona’s billion-dollar water investment may soon be a mirage

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Arizona’s billion-dollar water investment may soon be a mirage

May 9, 2023

Is that the end of that multi-billion dollar investment?

Lawmakers last year touted the funding behind efforts to find new water sources and conserve existing ones.

They agreed to split $1 billion over three years, most of which was allocated to import water from somewhere else. And passed a bill that fundamentally strengthens the Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) to distribute cash.

But currently, the budget is being negotiated only between Republican leadership and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Transferred $194 million to WIFA Next Fiscal Year — About $139 million short of the $333 million expected.

WIFA needs certainty to make loans

If that cash isn’t allocated this year, it’s unlikely to be enough to cover $1 billion given how little cash lawmakers expect next year.

And that could be a problem for WIFA, which needs funding certainty to make loans over the long term.

That is, after all, how legislators stipulated that most of the cash be distributed, especially for large projects that WIFA is set to accelerate.

Indeed, I argued that Arizona should spend billions on projects within the state and not pile it up for elusive water sources elsewhere.

Another way of looking at it:This water battle can get aggressive.and ugly

And more cash should be distributed in grants, especially to cash-starved rural areas and projects that could really move the sustainability needle.

But that’s no good reason to stop raising money now.

Why are you short of cash now?it is not clear

The budget doesn’t explain why WIFA could get significantly less cash, but there are separate carve-outs of numerous local projects, including:

It cost Gilbert and Peoria nearly $40 million to dig a new well,
$25 million in support resolve disputes Between the farmers and the Actin Indian communities that depend on the Santa Rosa Canal,
$11 million to accelerate project Desalinate brackish groundwaterand
Over $3 million to build a recharge pond in Mojave County.

These may be worthwhile ideas.

And funding them is certainly within the mandate of Congress.

But it’s a strange juxtaposition:

Just last year, our elected leaders funded an independent commission to review water projects in a broader context and ensure they could generate “statewide benefits.” I argued that it should be poured.

Now they are proposing to cut back on board funding and redirect the money to lucrative projects.

Was the “statewide interest” all a ruse?

know. Some argue that the whole “statewide benefit” story is just a ruse concocted by former Gov. Doug Ducey’s administration to funnel money into his preferred ocean desalination projects in Mexico. there is

State leaders pressured the newly expanded board to consider the proposal in the final weeks of the Ducey administration, even though the project lacked key details.

WIFA has also not yet elaborated on how it will handle such projects. Nor did it hire an executive director or key staff to begin the work Congress gave it.

Ultimately, the board voted to reject the IDE’s proposed term sheet and continue discussions with the group on the proposed desalination project.

IDE has not yet sent additional information to WIFA staff for review. After December, it’s basically silent.

If Arizona is retreating, please explain why

But WIFA, to its credit, has worked hard to regain the trust that was needlessly lost in that short-lived turmoil.

It focuses on transparency and policy-making, and clarifies how projects are evaluated.

Plans are taking shape to determine the amount and location of additional water needed by the state. Arizona is the basic piece of information that has long been missing to make informed augmentation decisions.

Meanwhile, agencies are prioritizing water conservation and hope to get some quick and positive wins this summer under that program, which Congress spent $200 million on last session. increase.

Perhaps lawmakers can slow down and see how these first rounds of funding play out and save water as advertised before handing WIFA more cash I would like to check whether

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Arizona’s billion-dollar water investment may soon be a mirage

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