Attorneys for a Saudi-owned alfalfa farm want a judge to toss a bid by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes to halt its pumping of groundwater. The lawyers say her lawsuit against the company Fondomonte is illegal.
Last year, Mayes sued Fondomonte, claiming its pumping of rural groundwater goes against public nuisance laws.
But the company’s lawyers claim that lawsuit ignores a state law which says agricultural operations conducted with good practices are presumed to be reasonable and do not constitute a nuisance.
That is unless the farm has a substantial adverse effect on public health and safety.
Arizona has cancelled land leases held by Fondomonte, but it still is able to farm in other private land areas. The outcome of the lawsuit could impact how farms use groundwater in rural parts of the state.
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Water users from Arizona and beyond are calling on Congress for big spending that could help the region cope with drought. -
A Maricopa County judge won’t pause a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Kris Mayes against Fondomonte, the Saudi Arabian farming company she accused of overpumping groundwater in La Paz County. -
Amid megadrought, extreme heat and facing even more cutbacks to water supply, modern farming and agriculture have had to make major adjustments. -
A West Valley advocacy group will be hosting an economic development summit on Thursday. This year’s gathering put on by Westmarc will focus on sustainable growth in the West Valley, and includes panels featuring business and elected officials. -
Water was the top legislative priority for Democrats and independents and the second-highest priority for Republicans, after the border/immigration.
