02/01/08 Environmentalists lectured over water relinguishment bills

Washington Ag February 1, 2008 Bills that would eliminate partial relinquishment of a water right and also no longer require beneficial use of a water right to be shown beyond the most recent 15 year period, drew the opposition of environmentalists at a legislative hearing Thursday. That opposition prompted this admonishment from Westside Democratic Representative William Eickmeyer. Eickmeyer: "Millions of gallons of water are pumped uselessly and used on land, which is deleterious to the land itself, to keep those water rights active instead of letting that water flow downstream, which is what we want to happen. So the situation right now is a contradiction, as far as I am concerned, of the stated goals that you have expressed here today. It doesn't work. And I think this legislation helps to unravel that problem. I am sorry Mr. Chairman but I think a lot of people who oppose this should drive around the state and find out what is happening in the real world before you come up with these policies." Agricultural groups supported both House Bills 2245 and 3072 saying they would reduce the fear irrigators have about losing water rights if they become more efficient, conserve water, or change to crops that use less water. I'm Bob Hoff.