Editor's Note: This is part 12 of a multi-part series. This article covers a presentation by the Gila Conservation Coalition and another by Imagination Library.
By Mary Alice Murphy
The Prospectors' Legislative Communication Forum each year provides information to the legislators who represent parts of Grant County—Sen. Howie Morales, Rep. Dianne Hamilton and Representative-elect John Zimmerman.
Donna Stevens represented the Gila Conservation Coalition.
"I am the executive director of the Upper Gila Watershed Alliance, which is one of the three partners of the Gila Conservation Coalition," Stevens said. "I am standing in for Allyson Siwik, GCC executive director, who was unable to attend.
"I am here at the request of Sen. Morales, who wanted an update on the Arizona Water Settlements Act process," she continued. "I am not asking for money."
The 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act stipulates that, if New Mexico decided to take the 14,000 acre-feet of water, it agreed to pay the exchange costs for the Central Arizona Project to make whole the Gila River Indian Community and other entities that would be impacted if New Mexico chose to divert the Gila River water. $66 million was allocated by the Act for water projects that did not require diversion.
At the Nov. 14 Interstate Stream Commission meeting in Silver City, ISC staff made recommendations. At the Nov. 24 meeting, the ISC approved $8 million in partial funding, about 10 percent to 40 percent of what was requested, for non-diversion projects.
"It will be hard to fully fund these projects," Stevens said. "We are concerned."
(She cited some of the partially funded items as:
The Gila Conservation Coalition's Municipal Conservation Fund at $3 million; $1,75 million for the Deming Effluent Reuse project; and funding for various ditch improvements. The Grant County Reservoir, as it will use diverted water, had no funding determined.)
The Grant County Regional Water Supply System, which will provide for a new well to take water to Hurley, received $1.5 million.
"Fully funding all of the projects would cost less than 10 percent of what a diversion would cost," she said.
The ISC approved notifying the U.S. Secretary of the Interior of New Mexico's intent to develop a Gila River diversion. Commissioner Blaine Sanchez was the only dissenting vote, in a 7-1 vote to divert the water.
"It will cost $700,000 to $800,000 for construction of the diversion," Stevens said. "Add in the operations and maintenance, and it will be more than $1 billion. A diversion will provide a low amount of water due to seepage and evaporation.
"The big problem we will have is that we will have spent the $66 million that would meet water needs now, and the money won't be there because it will be spent," Stevens continued. "I expect a diversion won't be built.
"Gov. Martinez could still choose not to send the letter by the end of the year," she said.
"I knew the recommendation would be done," Morales said. "There will be litigation over the $66 million that would be available. Will the $66 million be realized?"
"Some of the money is available now," Stevens said. "If we move ahead with a diversion, it will not be available. At the meeting on Nov. 24, someone said a shovel won't hit the ground before 20 years have passed. The additional funding of $62 million is available only if there is a construction project.
"There will be lawsuits, environmental compliance issues, and the NEPA and ESA processes," she continued. "Our fear is the money won't be available. Former ISC Director Norm Gaume says the diversion proposal is fatally flawed."
"I know this is controversial," Morales said. "I've kept my eye on the financial side so that we are not hit with a tax burden.
"It is in the hands of Gov. Martinez, and I think she will move to diversion, but the state of New Mexico cannot afford it," Morales continued. "My biggest concern is I hate to see consultants and attorneys benefit from the $66 million."
"They have to eat, too, I guess," Stevens remarked. "If they soak up the $66 million, how does that benefit New Mexicans?"
"I am a civil engineer.," Zimmerman said. "The 14,000 acre-feet of water is not a guarantee. Only in wet years. I'm not sure it's based on facts. One or two years out of 25 will you have 14,000 acre-feet, but not in most years. It will be more like 4,000-8,000 acre-feet. I have talked with folks in Arizona and they were surprised New Mexico had made the diversion decision."
"At the Nov. 24 meeting, staff even said it would be nothing like 14,000 acre-feet a year," Stevens said.
"I understand there will be cost of every acre-foot of water diverted.," Zimmerman said. "Users here will have to pay for it.
"It's called the exchange cost. It's Arizona's water," Stevens said. "Every drop we take out, we have to pay for the Gila River Indian Community to get its water. Our concern is that we could build a humongous structure and maybe there would be no water."
Zimmerman said: "New Mexico doesn't take its full Colorado River allocation now. It was not an easy decision to make."
Barbara Nelson represented Imagination Library.
"I want to tell you what we do, why we do it and suggest ways you can help us," Nelson said. "We want to include the entire state in the program.
"We, my husband Loren, who couldn't be here today, and I began the Grant County affiliate of Imagination Library," she continued. "There are 1,650 affiliates in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada. Imagination Library worldwide sends out 770,000 books every month.
The program is for pre-school children. "We raise money locally for our Grant County affiliate," Nelson said. "There are 25 affiliates in New Mexico. We mail 1,400 books a month, and 3,500 books are mailed out over the state of New Mexico. We mail out 40 percent of the books.
Too often, New Mexico is 49th overall, including in literacy. "That is unacceptable and unconscionable. We feel we can pro-actively address the problem," she said. "The more books children read and have access to, the longer they stay in school.
"Our local kindergarten teachers are noticing a difference in those who receive Imagination Library books," Nelson reported. "If children are not engaged in kindergarten and are not a proficient readers, they tend to drop out of school, and are eight times more likely to be incarcerated later in life.
"The program helps break that chain."
"Since we began the program in 2010, we have sent out 43,000 books to pre-schoolers," Nelson said. "Our partners include the Dollywood Foundation, which mails out the books. We pay for the books at $2 per book. Our funding sources are state, foundations and local donors. We strongly want to cover the whole state. We propose a statewide office here in Silver City to bring conferences here."
"Are you asking for state money?" Hamilton asked.
"Grant County is the most successful affiliate in the state," Nelson said. "The Dollywood Foundation has asked us to expand the program to the whole state. I'm asking for a partnership with the state and local affiliates.
"To fund the start-up statewide program, for the first year, we are requesting $140,000 for start-up costs," Nelson said. "As registrations increase, for the second year, we are requesting $314,000; for the third year, $399,000; the fourth, $347,000; the fifth year, $70,000 and then none after that."
"So you're asking for a five-year funding program," Hamilton confirmed.
"Is this a legislative appropriation request?" Zimmerman asked.
Morales said it should go through House Bill 2. "We will draft a piece of legislation. It's not capital outlay. The hope is that because the governor has allocated $500,000 for her first grade program, that we need an agreement that will fit into that. It's worth the ask."
"We are fortunate in Silver City that we have several model programs that have begun here, such as First Born and this group," Morales continued.
"I hear that grandparents are learning English from the books, and the older children are becoming more proficient," Nelson said.
"I'm all for it," Zimmerman said.
"Do you have local sponsors?" Morales asked.
"Mostly local donors, although Western Bank has stepped forward to get the program started in Hidalgo County," Nelson said.
Note: This article is taken directly from a transcript this writer is paid to deliver to the Prospectors each year for them to put the differently formatted information into the legislators' notebooks to be used during the legislative session and throughout the year.