Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumArizona AG Sues Saudi Firm For Public Nuisance; Groundwater Pumping Drying Up Neighboring Wells
PHOENIX (AP) Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Wednesday shes suing a Saudi Arabian agribusiness for allegedly violating a public nuisance law, contending that its groundwater pumping threatens the public health, safety and infrastructure of local communities in a rural western county. The complaint filed in Maricopa County Superior Court alleges that the pumping at a Fondomonte Arizona, LLC. alfalfa farm has had widespread effects in the Ranegras Plain Basin of La Paz County, harming everyone who depends on basin water by drawing down supplies, drying up wells and causing the ground to crack and sink in some areas.
The lawsuit is the latest action by Arizona against foreign companies that use huge amounts of groundwater to grow thirsty forage crops for export because of climate challenges in other countries. Rural Arizona is especially attractive to international businesses because it has no groundwater pumping regulations. The lawsuit alleges that since 2014, Fondomonte has extracted huge amounts of water that accelerated depletion of the basins aquifer. The company is a subsidiary of Saudi dairy giant Almarai Co.
We find the allegations of the Attorney General totally unfounded, and we will defend any potential action against Fondomonte and our rights vigorously before the competent authorities, Fondomonte said in a statement Wednesday.
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La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin, a Republican, commended Mayes, a Democrat, for attempting to address what she described as her communitys most challenging concern. I know that my constituents will be thrilled over this, that somebody is actually paying attention to the real problems here, Irwin said during Wednesdays news briefing via a video conference call. Mayes lawsuit alleges that Fondomontes actions are a public nuisance under a state statute that prohibits activity that injures health, obstructs property use, or interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property by a community.
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https://apnews.com/article/arizona-groundwater-pumping-fondomonte-b586786d9e403f50d6725891e74f69ec
Think. Again.
(19,027 posts)"....no groundwater pumping regulations"
ratchiweenie
(7,947 posts)with high water tables with little or no irrigation. Not only that but, in the southwest, it's mostly foreign countries like the Saudies growing it and shipping it home for their cattle herds. This is going on all over the southwest where rich oil countries have bought up land including southern California.