Renzi amendment: Act gives clear direction (careful when reading it's enviro-tainted)

Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona ^ | 11/23/03 | UNK

[SandRat]

We disagreed initially with the Renzi amendment that sought to limit Fort Huachuca's impact on water usage outside its gates.

We were further concerned what language may have been written into a compromise spearheaded by Sen. John McCain, since politics in Washington can sometimes have a warping effect on reality.

The compromise measure, now titled the Fort Huachuca Preservation Act, and soon to be signed into law by President Bush, is a good document and worthy of support.

It limits Fort Huachuca's responsibility regarding local water consumption off the post.

But it doesn't let the fort off the hook entirely. Future consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding direct, indirect, interrelated or interdependent water consumption that is off the installation still will be considered.

The amendment recognizes the Upper San Pedro Partnership as the local management tool to establish and maintain water conservation efforts.

That's important since it establishes local control over a local issue.

The partnership and its member organizations represent a true and good cross-section of concerns in the sub-watershed.

The partnership is required to submit an annual report to Congress about our area's water conservation efforts and progress.

By Dec. 31, 2004, the secretary of interior, in consultation with the secretary of agriculture and secretary of defense and in cooperation with the partnership, need to tell Congress what water use management and conservation measures that have been implemented and are needed to achieve a net, zero-impact to the aquifer by Sept. 30, 2011.

This report must include obstacles in current federal, state and local laws that hinder efforts of the partnership to mitigate water usage.

The report also must identify the net quantity of water withdrawn last year. The amount of the overdraft that needs to be reduced each year from 2005 to 2011 to achieve no overdraft. An allocation of the yearly reduction to responsible parties who have authority to implement the reductions. The measures each water-use controlling member of the Upper San Pedro Partnership will take each year.

While titled the Fort Huachuca Preservation Act, the direction is clear. It is up to the communities surrounding the fort to "preserve" it. Given the added focus on the role of the partnership and the efforts currently under way by city, county and private citizens, we have to believe we will be up to the task.

[SandRat]

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