Unable to support
agreement
While Water for Life
Inc. supports the
conceptual framework of
a settlement agreement,
unfortunately we are
unable to lend our
support to the proposed
agreement as released
Jan. 15.
The primary reason
for this position is the
agreement, as currently
written, would
ultimately have dramatic
adverse
impacts on production
agriculture within the
Basin. In the most
general of terms, Water
for Life Inc. believes
that, as structured, the
proposed settlement
agreement weighs
significantly in favor
of in-stream interests,
while neglecting the
most essential needs of
the Basin's
agricultural base.
Moreover, to the extent
the proposed settlement
does provide
accommodations to
agriculture, it does so
in a fashion that is
inequitable between the
upper and lower basins.
Review extension
requested
The proposed
settlement was released
Jan. 15 with the
expectation that all of
the interested parties
would be able to fully
digest the intricate
details of the agreement
and "sign" on within
a 30-day time frame.
Water for Life Inc.
strongly believes
extending the period of
review and comment would
be very prudent.
While frequently
referenced, Water for
Life does not believe
the agreement serves to
directly address the
issue of
coordination between the
settlement agreement and
the ongoing adjudication
process. We believe the
need to fully address
this issue is an
essential component of
the final agreement.
As with the
adjudication process
itself, one of the
cornerstones of the
agreement must be the
distribution of limited
water resources on a
priority basis.
Structuring a system of
distribution, which may
neglect this cornerstone
principle, will
ultimately fail the test
of time. The settlement
agreement must be
structured in a manner
that meets the needs of
the Basin for future
years and future
generations.
Must lessen
litigation
The settlement
agreement must serve to
lessen, not increase,
the degree of
litigation. The current
document does not
accomplish this
objective.
