SAFFORD — All three Graham County Supervisors have signed on to a letter with nine other county supervisors from across the state in questioning the effectiveness of the Rural Groundwater Committee of Gov. Katie Hobbs’ Water Policy Council.
Greenlee County Supervisor Richard Lunt also signed the letter.
The supervisors, who say the Hobbs’ proposals have never received the support of the County Supervisors Association, claim the committee is not involving those who are directly impacted.
Instead, they are calling for the Governor’s Office to ensure that “all voices be heard.”
“Specifically, we emphasize the need for a fresh, forward-thinking approach that not only safeguards the interests of water users but also entrusts decision-making to locally elected planning bodies,” the letter reads.
Bills creating Local Groundwater Stewardship Areas were introduced last Legislative session by two rural Legislators — Rep. Leo Biasucci and Sen. Sonny Borelli, both of Lake Havasu City — but the bills never received committee hearings.
The bills are expected to come back when the Legislature reconvenes in January, but state Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, who chairs the Natural Resources, Energy and Water committee in the state House, has already come out against the bills.
