Here's a new idea from Bill Richardson: A cabinet position for water issues

[bigtree]

A candidate from the West wants a Western issue elevated to Cabinet status

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said if he is elected president he will try to create a Cabinet department to deal with water resources and water policy.


Speaking in an interview with the RN&R after the Democratic presidential candidates' forum in Carson City last week, Richardson said, "I think it's that level of urgency." He said he thought the water policy department would be particularly useful in handling water transfer applications that have swept rural Western areas to feed urban growth.

Get them talking

Some areas of Richardson's home state of New Mexico have an unusual system that emphasizes shared water as a community resource, and his apparent comfort level with it makes for interesting speculation on his policies as president. In his state, there are about 1,500 local water systems with uncommon authority over their water and thus over transfer of water out of their jurisdictions. Known as acequias, they are a product of pre-U.S. influences, including the Pueblo era. Their water is treated legally as a shared resource rather than a commodity.

The authority of the acequias was supposedly restricted by a water law enacted in 1907--a law that some have analogized to laws that took Native American lands--but it has never been fully enforced. This structure preceded Richardson's governorship, but in 2003 he supported and signed legislation to give the acequias specific authority to rule on water transfers. New Mexico acequias advocate Paula Garcia called the legislation "historic affirmation of the role of the acequias as democratic institutions of local self-governance." It is closer to the model for Western water management proposed in 1878 by 19th century explorer John Wesley Powell for the West but rejected by Congress as an obstacle to Western development and dam building. Nevertheless, such community-based systems thrive in places like New Mexico, Utah and some individual Western communities.

In working out problems among the contending parties, Richardson got them together to talk and hash out differences, a scenario he has used repeatedly at various points in his career as a member of Congress, energy secretary and diplomat. On May 30 last year, Richardson signed one water rights settlement at Taos that had been worked out among Taos Pueblo, the town of Taos, the state attorney general, the Taos Valley acequias association, the local water and sewer district and 12 consumer organizations.

Just before his reelection law year, he declared 2007--the centennial of the 1907 water law--to be the "Year of Water" in the state and offered a water agenda that included a $100 million package including funding for conservation and environmental restoration programs and creation of a state Office of Water Infrastructure.

report: http://www.newsreview.com/reno/Content?oid=288021


At the Sante Fe River, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson announced a water agenda for his state.

[WCGreen]

1. It's called the Department of the Interior....

They just need to get that one up and running the way it should be and not just another parking space for idiot offspring of big donors and half-witted hanger ons...

[bigtree]

2. I'd be willing to bet that more than a few folks around the nation will like the elevation

of the issue, no matter if he achieves the position or not.

It's Bill Richardson's level of commitment to water issues that's highlighted here.

[WCGreen]

3. I understand that completely...

But if the DOI was run correctly, there wouldn't even be an issue about establishing another cabinet level department...

[Bobbieo]

4. It is really the Bureau of Reclamation under the Dept of the Interior

I know because my late husband was with the Bureau for 17 years and was its PR Chief for 4 years in DC.

[bigtree]

7. I think that, as a governor, he took issue with their heavy hand

in allocating water. (need to read more)

[WCGreen]

8. Well, if a bureau is under a department...

Then wouldn't water issues still fall under the department...

[Adelante]

5. Even if not a new department

I am very glad to see this issue is being promoted by Richardson :thumbsup:

[WCGreen]

9. Me too...

It may bring some much needed sanity into the development of the dry western states...

Since I live within 2 miles of Lake Erie, I never had to worry about water issues...

But sine I started going to Colo on a fairly frequent basis, I can empathize with all of the Du'ers living with water as a constant underlaying worry...

Well, not just the DU'ers...

I mean everyone...

[Forkboy]

6. I do have some problems with him,but he's also come up with great ideas so far.

This will be a huge issue in the coming decades.

[FrenchieCat]

10. agreed.....water will become the new oil sooner than later.....

good topic for Richardson to discuss!