Feb. 11, 2010

"It's unwarranted and unwise for the Legislature to wade back in and try to undo what the Supreme Court has done," -Simeon Herskovits

The statements from the S. Nevada Water Authority are incredible and rising in pitch. Simeon Herskovitz describes as hyperbole from the SNWA that the "water law" is in crisis. Quoting from the Las Vegas Review Journal today:

'But one opponent of the pipeline project dismissed the warnings of economic apocalypse as "fear mongering" and "profoundly disingenuous."

'New Mexico-based environmental attorney Simeon Herskovits represents the group of conservationists and rural Nevada residents who sued for the right to participate in state hearings on the authority's applications. That 2006 lawsuit triggered last month's Supreme Court ruling.

'Herskovits said the water authority and its friends in the gaming and development industries are just trying to scare lawmakers into doing whatever it takes to clear the way for the pipeline.

'"I just feel like these people don't have any credibility at this point," he said.

'Herskovits also doesn't buy the argument that the court decision will uproot the state's water rights system. The ruling, he said, is narrow and specific.

'As for the proposed legislative fix, he said it "reeks of present-day politics" and might not truly reflect what previous lawmakers were trying to do when they passed the law in 2003.

'"It's unwarranted and unwise for the Legislature to wade back in and try to undo what the Supreme Court has done," Herskovits said.

'Mulroy insists something has to be done to get the pipeline project -- and state water law -- back on track.

'"That project absolutely has to be part of our portfolio. If this state wants to economically recover, it has to have a healthy water resource plan," she said. "This has nothing to do with growth. It has to do with the ability to recover from the economic downturn."

'Actually, growth has a little something to do with it. When Mulroy talks about a "hole" opening in the valley's water supply picture, she is basing that on the assumption the population will hold steady for the next three years, then start to climb again.

'The real mistake, Herskovits said, is if state and local leaders don't learn from this financial crisis. He said it's time for leaders to take a hard look at what has proved to be an unsustainable economic model.'

Ms. Mulroy was quoted less than a year ago at the Nevada Legislature as saying that the pipeline will only be built if needed. Now it is needed for economic recovery she claims. Apparently, justification for the pipeline to drain eastern Nevada for its water -- and future -- is really a PR campaign with unlimited funding.

Henry Brean's article from the LVRJ is below.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/breaking_news/water-officials-rush-to-craft-bill-in-response-to-court-ruling-84052477.html