Gila diversion pact signed in D.C.

Gila diversion pact signed in D.C. Written by Benjamin Fisher on November 24, 2015 The U.S. Department of the Interior announced Monday afternoon that Secretary Sally Jewell signed the New Mexico Unit Agreement with the New Mexico Unit of the Central Arizona Project Entity, late in the day on the deadline date set forth by the Arizona Water Settlements Act. The executed agreement opens the door for a series of environmental reviews of a potential diversion of the Gila River. In a release, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science Jennifer Gimbel stressed that signing the agreement does not ensure a diversion, but greenlights the upcoming National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act and Historic Preservation Act review processes. These must be successfully completed before any final project could be approved. Those processes will not begin until the N.M. CAP Entity develops a 30 percent design of a proposed project. “No final decision has been made on the construction of a dam along the upper region of the Gila River, nor has any decision been made about any non-diversion alternative to a dam,” said Gimbel, who oversees the Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of the Interior agency that will lead the evaluation of alternatives for the New Mexico Unit of the Central Arizona Project. “Interior is ensuring that a robust review process will be completed under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and other environmental laws before a final decision is made. This review process will include early development of a full range of alternatives to meet water supply needs in southwestern New Mexico, which will inform the CAP Entity, Interior, and the public as analysis proceeds and will provide ample opportunities for public participation.” N.M. CAP Entity Chair Darr Shannon responded to the big news, saying simply, “The New Mexico CAP Entity will continue to move forward with diligence and integrity regarding the job we have before us.” Monday’s action comes after a lengthy period of negotiations between the N.M. CAP Entity — following their formation in August — and Interior regarding a list of supplemental terms required by Jewell, outlining the federal standards the project must meet and placing more responsibility on the CAP Entity. It also comes after the delivery of a petition signed by 5,400 opponents to a diversion, urging Jewell to not sign the agreement. Some of those opponents, while disappointed with the Interior secretary’s decision on Monday, were heartened by the importance placed on the upcoming environmental measures in the release. The Interior Department’s “decision today recognizes the concerns expressed by so many by requiring a rigorous federal review process,” said Beth Bardwell, Audubon New Mexico’s director of conservation, in a statement following the announcement. “A diversion cannot be built without clear demonstration of benefit, and financial, physical and environmental feasibility. This is a tall order for this project. The review process is more likely to lay a deep foundation for the eventual permanent protection of the Gila River.” “We support the action taken by Interior today to establish a robust review process for any proposed Gila River diversions,” Protect the Flows Co-director Craig Mackey said in a release. “The Gila River in New Mexico is habitat for bird species and wildlife, a paradise for outdoor recreation and tourism, and a strong economic driver for local communities and the state. Protect the Flows is committed to keeping the Gila River free and undammed, and we are thoroughly confident that the ensuing environmental review process will emphatically show that a diversion is not feasible environmentally or financially.” Others were not swayed in their belief that the diversion is wrong for southwest New Mexico. “People from all over the country have made their voices heard. They don’t want a Gila River diversion project that we can’t afford, that won’t efficiently meet our water needs, and will damage New Mexico’s last free-flowing river,” said Allyson Siwik, executive director of the Gila Conservation Coalition. “The Gila River diversion process has been riddled with secrecy, bad judgment, and waste. The eyes of the nation are looking on Secretary Sally Jewell to ensure an honest and rigorous environmental review and to ultimately do the right thing — protect the Gila River forever,” said Todd Schulke, co-founder of the Center for Biological Diversity. U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, long an opponent of the diversion, also shared his doubts that the government’s decision to continue with project planning was the right choice. “Based on everything I’ve seen so far, this project simply isn’t financially realistic or environmentally wise,” he wrote in a release Monday. “Given federal budget constraints, funding outside the Arizona Water Settlements Act is extremely unlikely. Further, many New Mexicans are rightly concerned about the extremely high cost of this project and the damage that it could do to our thriving tourism and sporting businesses. The Gila is the last free-flowing main-stem river in New Mexico — to sacrifice it to a project that the state can’t afford and that might not ever yield enough water, would be irresponsible. Those millions of dollars would be better spent to rebuild roads, bridges and the crumbling water infrastructure in communities across our state.” As a result of Monday’s agreement, the process continues, just another step toward a potential diversion and subsequent development of up to 14,000 acre-feet of water from the Gila and its tributaries that has been ongoing since the AWSA was approved in 2004. Once environmental assessments begin, they will be handled by the Department of the Interior through its Bureau of Reclamation, and the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission. The agencies will work to assess possible impacts and necessary mitigation, according to the Interior Department release: “The process will include extensive dialogue with and input from stakeholders and the general public. Topics for analysis in the review process will be addressed during public scoping, but will include impacts to fish and wildlife, hydrology, land use, economics, cultural resources, recreation, and ecosystem services. The agreement also calls for cost-benefit analysis of all alternatives in accordance with Federal Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources Implementation Studies.” The N.M. CAP Entity was scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. today at the Grant County Administration Center. Look for full coverage of that meeting in Wednesday’s Daily Press. Benjamin Fisher may be reached at ben@scdailypress.com.