Grant County Commission candidates Alicia Edwards (district 3), Marilyn Alcorn (district 4), and Harry Browne (district 5) received the endorsement of the Southern Group of the Rio Grande chapter of the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club informed the candidates they were receiving the endorsement of the Club "in appreciation of your demonstrated commitment to protecting the environment".

The Sierra Club is one of the most respected environmental organizations in the country. The Rio Grande Chapter has over 7000 members. In addition to leading outings and events, the Sierra Club works to promote government policies that protect our public lands, water, and wildlife.

The Sierra Club endorsed candidates elaborate on their priorities.

Harry Browne says, "Job one is to fend off the biggest economic threat we face as a county, which is the proposed diversion of Gila River water. We need to get the county out of the CAP Entity that is pushing this project before we become financially liable for hundreds of millions of dollars in construction costs with no realistic expectation that enough water will even be available to generate revenue. We should be promoting the free-flowing Gila to outdoors recreation enthusiasts, not trying to suck it dry."

Alicia Edwards concurs. "The money guaranteed to the four county region by the Arizona Water Settlement Act'$66 million--- could be used to build any number of projects that would meet water needs of farmers, ranchers and citizens. Let's use this money to fund water projects that we need now like the Grant County Regional Water Supply Project that will meet the future water needs of nearly 90% of Grant County residents".

Marilyn Alcorn makes the case for linking ecological concerns with economic ones in her platform. " We can prosper by promoting eco-nomic development around our abundant natural resources including the Gila River, National Forest and BLM lands, Continental Divide and local trail systems, by attracting clean energy businesses such as wind and solar producers, and by supporting small agricultural production enterprises and developing local food markets".

All three candidates are honored by the endorsement of the Sierra Club, and encourage people who care about clean water, access to public lands, and an energy economy based on renewables to participate in this year's primary election on June 7.