Looks like Governor Richardson’s Year of the Water is set to flow down the same stream as the Year of the Judiciary and the Year of the Child. This from Heath Haussamen’s blog:
Cervantes, according to the Associated Press, said at Thursday’s meeting of the Water and Natural Resources Committee that Richardson’s proposed package for the 2007 session doesn’t deal with agricultural conservation, though that accounts for 75 percent of water use in the state.
“We’re throwing money at the problem, which government always does,” Cervantes said, according to the news service. “That’s one solution, but it’s not a very comprehensive solution and it doesn’t show the leadership we need to show on this issue. I don’t see the conservation component to this.”
Cervantes comes from a farming family and said because farmers who don’t use water lose it, his family opted against expanding a water-saving drip irrigation system.
“Frankly, what’s happening is farmers are trying to hold on to their land long enough to cash in on their water rights,” he said. “That’s the mentality – use every acre-foot. Avoid conservation, because it’s not being recognized as a benefit to them.”
Governor Richardson throwing money at a problem instead of providing a real solution. Hmm, there’s a surprise.