As a follow-up to the meeting you called on November 19th with the tri-city communities, I want to express my concern regarding the Salt River Project's apparent decision to reject cooperative negotiations to resolve issues relating to the Big Chino groundwater basin. Instead, based on your statements at the November 19th meeting, and SRP's recent filing of a petition with the Arizona Department of Water Resources, it appears SRP intends to move down a path towards litigation. The Town of Chino Valley finds this both disappointing and inconsistent with our repeated efforts to work with SRP. Furthermore, coming shortly after SRP participated in a hearing chaired by Representative Lucy Mason in Prescott, at which Ms. Mason expressed a desire for all parties to work cooperatively to address the crucial water issues that affect us all, SRP's aggressive actions are particularly troubling.
As you know, Chino Valley has been pursuing a Big Chino groundwater importation project as part of its comprehensive effort to secure and protect vital water resources for its citizens. We are well aware, however, of the concerns expressed by SRP and others regarding potential adverse impacts to the Verde River. Chino Valley is committed to ensuring protection of the Verde. In an effort to address these concerns, we have reached out to numerous stakeholders, including SRP and a variety of environmental organizations, to seek their input and to provide assurances regarding our intentions. In addition, we have been working with the Morrison Institute to assist us in revamping our general plan to focus on sustainable growth in our community, and with the Arizona Water Institute to help us craft water conservation standards that will ensure our water is used as efficiently as possible. We have undertaken these efforts at very considerable expense, but we are committed to this process because we know it is important to both Chino Valley and our entire region.
Chino Valley has been attempting to work cooperatively with SRP, and other stakeholders, for many months. Just one day after Chino Valley signed its historic SRP
Mr. John Sullivan
11/30/2007
agreement with Chino Grande Ranch in May of this year, we contacted SRP to begin a dialogue. In the months since, we have repeatedly offered to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with SRP that would include enforceable limits on groundwater pumping, monitoring, and mitigation requirements, and strict water conservation standards. To date, the only response we have received from SRP is your indication at the November 19th meeting that SRP intends to pursue litigation. Despite this stance by SRP, Chino Valley remains committed to working out reasonable solutions that protect the interests of all affected parties. I urge you to reconsider SRP's position
and begin working with Chino Valley to achieve solutions without delay, and without turning to litigation.
If you are interested in discussing these issues in a cooperative manner, please contact me at your earliest convenience.
Posted: Friday, January 04, 2008
Article comment by:
Dan S.
I guess SRP just felt these "cooperative negotiations" were more about getting what Chino (and Prescott/PV wanted) and not about what SRP wanted... an assured downstream water supply on the Verde. Call it what you want -- "cooperative negotiations", or whatever -- if one side doesn't like what's being negotiated, they have the right to step out of the process. It's time for the Tri Cities gov'ts (and voters) to start thinking about how our leaders spend our money, before anything is agreed upon or actually "in hand". Anything else is just reckless gambling with taxpayer dollars.
