SAFFORD — U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., toured Graham and Greenlee counties on Tuesday, speaking with local farmers and ranchers about the ongoing issues with water and local leaders about infrastructure needs.
“We need drought resiliency, water resiliency,” Kelly said. “One thing we can do, and this is why I was focused on this in this bi-partisan infrastructure bill, is water storage and water conservation. We’ve got to be able to do more with the water we have and then we won’t get into situations where we’ve got to worry about urban areas potentially taking water away from rural areas.”
He said January will force Arizona into action, when the state’s allocation of Colorado River water is reduced by 18 percent.
With Lake Mead losing elevation, which could impact power generation, Kelly said he’s introduced legislation that would require smart thermostats in federal buildings as a way to help reduce energy use.
“We need to do more programs like that so, in an emergency, we can drop the load down, he said. “Ultimately, I think with water and energy, there are engineering solutions out there.”
On infrastructure, he said the bill includes funding to make the power grid more resilient, as well improving roads, bridges and the ports of entry in Arizona, as well as expanding broadband availability in the rural parts of the nation.
“I think what Arizona is potentially going to benefit from this infrastructure bill (is) up to $100 million, I think is the number, that is going to go to rural broadband,” Kelly said. “I think we’re on the right track . . . You can’t run a business, you can’t get a quality education, you can’t deliver the best health care unless you have high-speed internet. So that’s what we’re trying to do.”
