The New Mexico conservation community applauded Governor Richardson today for his veto late yesterday of an appropriation in House Bill 2 that posed a threat to the Gila River. The item was $945,000 for Gila basin water development, in an appropriation to the Office of the State Engineer.
“This was a top veto priority of New Mexico’s conservation community, as it posed a serious threat to New Mexico’s last free flowing river,” said Sandy Buffett, Executive Director of Conservation Voters New Mexico.
“The conservation community applauds the Governors veto as this appropriation left open the possibilities of a range of activities, including in-stream construction of dams and diversions, that would jeopardize the health of the Gila River ecosystem – the last wild, free-flowing river in New Mexico,” said Jeanne Bassett, Executive Director of Environment New Mexico.
Based on previous discussions, the conservation community anticipated funding for studies to determine a fair and common-sense approach for using the monetary benefits of the Arizona Water Settlements Act (AWSA) to meet the water needs of all the communities in southwestern New Mexico, while also preserving and enhancing the ecological and recreational values of the Gila River.
A major Gila River diversion project as currently contemplated creates unfair distribution of Arizona Water Settlements Act benefits between the four counties of Southwestern New Mexico. The Act provides $66 million to the counties of Southwestern New Mexico for any water supply demand (Section 212 (i)). If AWSA subsidies are used entirely for a Gila River diversion, Luna, Hidalgo and Catron counties are denied some of the water and/or financial benefits under the Gila Settlement. Under this plan, all of the funding and possibly all of the water would be directed to Silver City and Grant County.
The following conservation organizations had signed onto the veto request: Conservation Voters New Mexico, Environment New Mexico, World Wildlife Fund, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, National Environmental Trust, Audubon New Mexico, Amigos Bravos, Forest Guardians, Rio Grande Restoration, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, 1000 Friends of New Mexico and New Mexico Wilderness Alliance.
