Saudi firm has pumped Arizona groundwater for years without paying.

[StarryNite]

Saudi firm has pumped Arizona groundwater for years without paying.
Time to pony up

Opinion: The State Land Department unlawfully allowed Fondomonte to pump unlimited amounts of groundwater at no cost. That must stop.
Bruce Babbitt and Robert Laneopinion contributors

In June, The Arizona Republic uncovered the story of how the State Land Department had recently handed over thousands of acres to a Saudi corporation called Fondomonte, giving it permission to pump unlimited amounts of groundwater to grow alfalfa hay for export to Saudi Arabia.

This tale of official misfeasance began in 2015 when the State Land Department began leasing land to Fondomonte at an annual rental of just $25 per acre.

~snip~

What should be done to clean up this scandal? First, Gov. Doug Ducey should instruct the State Land Department to void the lease and restore Butler Valley to its intended use as a groundwater reserve for the future.

Second, Gov. Ducey should instruct the attorney general to collect past due rentals of about $38 million to be held in trust for the benefit of Arizona school children.

more at link:

[link:https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2022/08/11/saudi-firm-fodomonte-pay-arizona-groundwater-use/10271103002/|

[FoxNewsSucks]

1. How could they afford to pay?

They've only made a measly $88 billion off the recent oil price gouging . Mr BoneSaw is barely scraping by.

[sheshe2]

5. Also paid Jared 2 billion for gawd knows what.

[DENVERPOPS]

12. More importantly

Is why the fuck would the Saudi's garden a crop of Alpha Hay half way around the world/????/

There has got to be a far bigger story to this than the water

[Attilatheblond]

15. Because the House of Saud is smart enought to make it illegal to pump water for cattle there

They must be grinning ear to ear, knowing they are draining ancient aquifers in the southwest of eons of fossil water that won't be replaced until the poles shift or continents drift to the point that weather changes here in the SW.

Here's a WaPo link past their paywall on this topic.
https://wapo.st/3NSNRe7

Disclosure: I live pretty close to where a lot of water is going to feed cows in Arabia. Water level has dropped so much in the valley where Saudis are growing cow food to the point that local homeowners' wells are not deep enough and they cannot afford to drill down to where the water level is at present. Homes will be unusable and unsaleable, wiping out the security of many families and local farmers. It's been a HUGE issue where I live.

[Sneederbunk]

2. Who got paid under the table?

[Samrob]

3. I know this is an AZ story but this is the kind of news the MSM should report on because people

need to know what Republican governors do and how they hurt their own constituents.

[grantcart]

4. It's even worse than that

They are also draining an ancient subterranean lake

Oh and why can't SA use their land?

Because they already drained their ancient aquifers

[JCMach1]

6. For camels and race horses

[StarryNite]

7. Inside Saudi company's sweet water deal in Arizona

Inside Saudi company’s sweet water deal in Arizona
Jun 12, 2022

The Arizona Republic’s Rob O’Dell explains why a Saudi Arabian company’s deal for Arizona water raises questions for taxpayers, water users, the Legislature and the governor.

[link:

|

[Wingus Dingus]

8. Someone in AZ government decided to basically give away the state's groundwater.

Who arranged this deal with the Saudis? This is insane, in the hottest, most drought-stricken state in the country. Why use AZ groundwater for exported alfalfa, and not, say...Iowa? or Minnesota? Or anywhere with an adequate water supply?

[littlemissmartypants]

11. Perhaps the governing bodies in those localities are not as sympathetic to the Saudis.

Or maybe not as corrupt...?

[Nevilledog]

9. Kick

[liberalla]

10. Bookmarking... can't get into this tonight.

Thanks

[dalton99a]

13. Kick

[mopinko]

14. this is a thing. a way to export water

in the form of high water use crops.
it's also a thing that some farmers are doing because if you dont use your whole water allotment, they cut it the next year. so they grown stuff like alfalfa.
that particular bit of stupid needs fixing.