We had a great day at Environmental Day at the Capitol. While tabling for Sustainable Tucson, Sen. Priya Sundareshan from our district (LD18) stopped by to thank me for promoting the Rural Groundwater Protection bills, SB1425 and HB2714. These bipartisan bills finally offer much needed water protections for rural communities that are suffering from over-pumping. Over-pumping was emptying the aquifer causing sinkholes in the Willcox area. Sen. Priya Sundareshan and Rep. Chris Mathis (LD18) worked with several Republican politicians on the bill - including the Mayor of Willcox.
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| Me and Rep. Sarah Liguori |
The other bill that we were excited to promote was the Rainwater Harvesting Appropriation bill, HB2644. It provides up to $2000 for hiring a licensed contractor to install a residential rainwater harvesting system (up to $2000 for rain tanks and $500 for catchment basins, no more than $2000 in total). We got involved with this bill when we were contacted by AZ ANNHPI for Equity for feedback, so it was great running into Rep. Sarah Liguori (LD5), who introduced HB2644. If you check out my Sustainable Living Tucson blog, you'll see how I love our rainwater harvesting cisterns and basins. Last year, my husband Dan Stormont did a rainwater harvesting presentation for Environmental Day, and people from around the state asked where they could get rainwater harvesting incentives. HB2644 would fit the bill!
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| Jana Segal, Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, Adriana Bachmann |
Next we had meeting with Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, who warmly greeted us. I congratulated her for getting her School Lunch bill (HB2213) heard in committee. Then I encouraged her to support the two water bills. I am delighted that she is on the Appropriations Committee that will be hearing the Rainwater Harvesting Appropriation bill!
I ran into Sen. Thomas "TJ" Shope, one of the legislators supporting HB2644, outside of the Senate building and thanked him. Inspired by his dedication to water, I rallied everyone I met to contact him and ask him to hear the Rural Groundwater bill in the Natural Resources committee that he chairs. Thanks to this kind woman who called the senator on the spot!
Please, take a few minutes to contact Sen. Shope and urge him to hear SB1425 in his committee...Sen. Thomas "T.J." Shope, district 16, TSHOPE@azleg.gov (602) 926-3012
And while you're at it, congratulate Rep. Nancy Gutierrez for getting HB2213 through the Education and Appropriations committees!
Rep. Nancy Gutierrez -- Assistant Minority Leader, district 18 D, NGUTIERREZ@az.gov, (602) 926-4134
#lovemyrainbasin
Note correction: the people of Willcox actually voted against the AMA. But the aquifer was getting so low that the ADWR was forced to establish it.
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