AB419, a proposal backed by private water developers like Vidler and other interests who want to fast-track water rights approvals for deep-pocketed entities is having a hearing today.
This bill poses major issues about the ability of protestants to protect their due process rights and private property rights against powerful interests applying for water.
The bill legitimizes an applicant’s ability to have behind-closed-door meetings with state regulators, creates a fast-tracking approval processes for water applications, and gives applicants other advantages that will make it harder for the public and water rights holders to defend our constitutionally protected interests.
The fiscal note on the bill is big — meaning that this proposal is a form of tax-payer backed assistance for powerful interests like Vidler that want to appropriate water in places where there is inadequate supply available and high likelihoods of conflict with existing rights and the public interest.
Please spread the word and tell lawmakers to oppose AB419
CLICK ON THE LINK AND SUBMIT AN OPINION (SEE RIGHT-HAND CORNER FOR BUTTON).
Here are some bullet points for anyone interested in submitting a comment to the Nevada Legislature via the NELIS site or directly to your representative.
- Gives water applicants more control in the permitting process — potentially leading to more appropriations of water.
- Creates a system that favors fast-tracking water rights approvals.
- Takes power away from the state to oversee its water and forces the state engineer to make final decisions — leading to a likelihood of more appropriations, more litigation, and more costs imposed on the state.
- Raises questions about public participation, creating new burdens for existing water rights holders and public interest advocates.
