PHOENIX — House Speaker Rusty Bowers warned Tuesday he won’t be pressured by Gov.
Doug Ducey into approving a drought contingency plan, which lawmakers have yet to see, by a Jan. 31 deadline.
Bowers told Capitol Media Services that the governor made a big show of announcing on Monday and again Tuesday the number of days that remain ahead of the deadline set by Brenda Burman, Reclamation Bureau commissioner, for Arizona to adopt its plan for dealing with the shortage of Lake Mead water.
Bottom line, Bowers said, is if he does not get actual language of the agreement by Wednesday, “I’m adding a day.” And if there’s no language on Thursday, add another day to that.
“I have an obligation, as the speaker of the House, to my membership and to our constituents,” the Mesa Republican said.
“We are not going to act without knowing what we do.” It’s not just Bowers who is balking.
Senate Minority Leader David Bradley, a Tucson Democrat, made it clear lawmakers won’t be stampeded into adopting something just to meet the Jan. 31 deadline.
“The Jan. 31st deadline is crystal clear,” he said.
Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, said the Pinal County farmers he represents have no problem with reaching a deal, even with a sharp cut in Colorado River water deliveries and being forced to let 30 percent to 40 percent of their land go fallow.
“We need the assurances of the agricultural community that we’re just not entering into an agreement that can be changed or altered later on and the water not delivered,” he said Tuesday.