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HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENT EXPLANATION Bill Number:
HCM2004 - 542R - H Ver       House Engrossed         State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session         HOUSE CONCURRENT MEMORIAL 2004       A CONCURRENT MEMORIAL   urging the Secretary of the united states Department of the Interior to immediately take all necessary measures to operate the Yuma Desalting Plant.
HCM2004 Griffin Floor Amendment Adds the following declarations:
    (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)   To the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior:
1.
Your memorialist respectfully represents:
The U.S.
Whereas, the United states Congress stated in the Colorado River Basin Project Act that the satisfaction of the requirements of the Mexican Water Treaty constitutes a national obligation;
Congress stated in the Colorado River Basin Project Act that satisfying the requirements of the Mexican Water Treaty is a national obligation.
and Whereas, under a treaty agreement entered into in 1973, the United States is required to ensure that water delivered to Mexico as part of Mexico's allocation of Colorado River water meets certain water quality standards;
2.
and Whereas, in accordance with this agreement, the United States Congress enacted the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974, which directed and authorized the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior to construct, operate and maintain a desalting plant to treat drainage water from the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District and deliver the treated water to Mexico;
The United States is committed to taking affirmative actions in the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan to implement programs designed to annually create or conserve 100,000 acre-feet or more of Colorado River water to contribute to conserving water supplies in Lake Mead or other reservoirs in the Lower Colorado River Basin.
and Whereas, construction of the Yuma Desalting Plant was completed in 1992;
Deletes the following declarations:
and Whereas, the Yuma Desalting Plant is capable of treating 100,000 acre‑feet of water annually;
1.
and Whereas, except for limited, initial operations in 1993, a demonstration run completed in 2007 and a nine-month pilot run completed in 2011, the federal government has failed to operate the Yuma Desalting Plant for most of its existence;
The United States Department of the Interior is using 100,000 acre-feet of water from Lake Mead to fulfill its water quality obligations to Mexico rather than conserving an equal amount of water through operating the Yuma Desalting Plant.
and Whereas, the Colorado River system is in its 20th consecutive year of drought;
2.
and Whereas, as a result of these drought conditions, the United States Department of the Interior is projecting that a shortage on the Colorado River is increasingly likely;
The Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study in December 2012 found there will be an imbalance of the supply and demand of Colorado River water and cited measures such as water conservation, reuse, and augmentation to stave off future shortages.
and Whereas, in the lower basin drought contingency plan agreement, the United States through the Secretary of the Interior committed to take affirmative actions to implement lower basin programs designed to create or conserve 100,000 acre-feet or more per annum of Colorado River system water to contribute to the conservation of water supplies in Lake Mead or other Colorado River reservoirs in the lower basin;
Specifies that the federal government's abdication of its obligation to operate the Yuma Desalting Plant has caused 1,800,000 acre-feet, instead of 1,300,000 acre-feet, to be lost from Lake Mead.
and Whereas, the Central Arizona Project is a junior priority rights holder to Colorado River water and would bear the largest reduction of Colorado River water in times of shortage;
Clarifies that 100,000 acre-feet would be enough water to supply more than 330,000 Arizona homes annually.
and Whereas, by abdicating its obligation to operate the Yuma Desalting Plant, the federal government has caused the loss of more than 1,800,000 acre-feet from Lake Mead;
Declares that the Arizona House of Representatives, with the Senate concurring, prays that the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior fulfill its obligations to provide for Colorado River water augmentation and conservation by operating the Yuma Desalting Plant if feasible, or a suitable alternative.
and Whereas, if the federal government were to operate the Yuma Desalting Plant, it would conserve 100,000 acre-feet per year, equivalent to the water needed to supply more than 330,000 Arizona homes with water annually.
Amendment explanation prepared by Paul Bergelin Phone Number (602) 926-3458 jb 2/25/2020 Fifty-fourth Legislature Griffin Second Regular Session H.C.M.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
2004 GRIFFIN FLOOR AMENDMENT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO H.C.M.
1.  That the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior immediately take all necessary measures to fulfill its obligations to provide for Colorado River water augmentation and conservation through the operation of the Yuma Desalting Plant, if feasible, or a suitable alternative.
2004 (Reference to printed memorial) Page 1, between lines 2 and 3, insert:
2.  That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior, the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
"Whereas, the United States Congress stated in the Colorado River Basin Project Act that the satisfaction of the requirements of the Mexican Water Treaty constitutes a national obligation;
and" Strike lines 21 through 24 Strike lines 30 through 34, insert:
"Whereas, in the lower basin drought contingency plan agreement, the United States through the Secretary of the Interior committed to take affirmative actions to implement lower basin programs designed to created or conserve 100,000 acre-feet or more per annum of Colorado River system water to contribute to the conservation of water supplies in Lake Mead or other Colorado River reservoirs in the lower basin;
and" Line 39, strike "1,300,000" insert "1,800,000" Line 40, after "Mead" strike remainder of line Line 41, strike "of water shortage" Line 44, strike "250,000" insert "330,000" Page 2, line 4, strike "operate" insert "fulfill its obligations to provide for Colorado River water augmentation and conservation through the operation of" Line 5, after "Plant" insert ", if feasible, or a suitable alternative" Amend title to conform GAIL GRIFFIN HCM2004FloorGRIFFIN2 02/25/2020 10:21 AM H:
SC/ra
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