Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton issues statement about water supply judgment in New Mexico

June 20, 2003
Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson met to discuss issues relating to the Middle Rio Grande and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Opinion handed down last week.

June 20, 2003 -- Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson met to discuss issues relating to the Middle Rio Grande and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Opinion handed down last week.

Following the meeting, Secretary Norton issued the following statement:

"The 10th Circuit opinion represents a significant setback for collaborative efforts and it makes a difficult situation more challenging.

"The 2003 Biological Opinion we are operating under is a good plan. It allows portions of the river to dry up while putting in place important steppingstones for long term recovery of the minnow. Simply put, the biological opinion is our best opportunity to solve the challenging water supply situation facing the people of the Middle Rio Grande Basin as well as the silvery minnow.

"My department remains committed to doing everything possible to stretch limited water resources during this extreme drought year while complying with the law to protect the minnow. We will continue to work diligently New Mexico and the congressional delegation to find a dependable and lasting water supply for the people and Middle Rio Grande environment.

"I appreciate Governor Richardson's continuing interest in working with this Administration to find solutions to these difficult issues. I also applaud his efforts to secure credit water agreements, which are of strong importance to everyone's efforts to address this very difficult water supply situation."

To read more about the decision, please see an earlier WaterWorld.com story, http://ww.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=178949&KEYWORD=Rio%20Grande.

Sponsored Recommendations

WIN-911 Alarm Notification Software Enables Faster Response

March 15, 2024
Alarm notification software enables faster response for customers, keeping production on track

Automated Fresh Water Treatment

March 15, 2024
SCADA, Automation and Control for Efficient and Compliant Operations

Digital Transformation Enables Smart Water

March 15, 2024
During this webinar we will discuss factors driving the transformation to digital water, water industry trends, followed by a summary of solutions (products & services) available...

Smart Water Solutions: Transforming the Water Universe

March 15, 2024
Water is our most valuable resource, and efficient and effective water and wastewater handling is crucial for municipalities. As industry experts, you face a number of challenges...