PHOENIX — Today, U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-Ariz) issued the following statement:
“Interior dragged this process out for years and blew through deadline after deadline, only to land on essentially the same commonsense proposal the Lower Basin States put forward back in May. Arizona and our partners did the hard work here. The White House just took its time catching up.
I’m carefully reviewing the details of the Record of Decision and the Operating Guidelines. What we do know is that these two years of stability are welcome, and Arizona's families and businesses need the certainty this brings. Arizona will take a sizable reduction to our water, but we can expect to be spared the brunt of cuts the Final Environmental Impact Statement left on the table through 2028. We held firm on our legal rights. That is a credit to Governor Hobbs and leaders across the Lower Basin coming together to protect our economy and the future of the Colorado River.
But a two-year reprieve is not a solution. The agreements holding this decision together must be durable, and a record-breaking drought won’t suddenly resolve itself. Every two years, this same threat of "CAP to zero" will hang over Arizona's head. That’s no way to run a system millions of people depend on for water, power, and food.
Arizona has led on conservation for decades. We have earned a fair, long-term deal that respects our economic and national security importance as America's semiconductor capital — not another short-term fix that leaves us exposed. I’m going to fight for continued investments and forceful actions that will fuel further conservation and get us closer to a durable seven-state solution.”