Gov. Hobbs announces Saudi-owned Fondomonte no longer pumping Arizona groundwater in Butler Valley - KOLD
Gov. Hobbs announces Saudi-owned Fondomonte no longer pumping Arizona groundwater in Butler Valley
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News)- Today, Governor Katie Hobbs joined the Arizona State Land Department to announce that because of the decisive action she took in terminating and declining to renew their leases, Fondomonte is officially no longer pumping Arizona water in the Butler Valley groundwater basin.
After a recent inspection, the State Land Department has confirmed that as of February 15, Fondomonte is no longer irrigating on any of its Butler Valley leases. Visual inspections also confirmed that Fondomonte has begun taking steps to vacate the property.
“Today is the start of a new chapter for Arizona’s water future,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “I’m not afraid to hold people accountable, maximize value for the state land trust, and protect Arizona’s water security. I am proud to deliver this not just for the La Paz County community, but for the entire state of Arizona, and will continue taking decisive action to protect Arizona’s water so we can thrive for generations to come.”
Fondomonte held four separate lease agreements in the Butler Valley Basin. On October 2, 2023, the State Land Department notified Fondomonte that three of its four leases in the Butler Valley Basin would not be renewed.
Fondomonte was simultaneously notified that one of its leases had been canceled due to an uncured default. Fondomonte appealed the cancellation, and the appeal is currently pending. Regardless of the appeal decision, Fondomonte was notified that the lease would not be renewed, which was also terminated on February 14, 2024.
Be sure to subscribe to the 13 News YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@13newskold
Copyright 2024 13 News. All rights reserved.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: hydropower
Hydropower — electricity generated by turbines capturing energy from moving water — was for many years the primary contributor of renewable energy to the U.S. electricity grid. Its growth was rapid into the 1970s, and since then has offered a stable supply of power, while a declining share of all generation. For many years, hydropower was seen as clean energy and an unalloyed good, but a greater understanding of the impact of dams on ecosystems and wildlife has led to the removal of some dams. As of 2019, hydropower trails wind as a renewable source of power generation.