Arizona AG sues Saudi firm over ‘excessive’ groundwater pumping, saying it’s a public nuisance

By GABRIEL SANDOVAL and ANITA SNOW
Updated 8:07 PM EST, December 11, 2024

PHOENIX (AP) — "Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Wednesday she’s suing a Saudi Arabian agribusiness for allegedly violating a public nuisance law, contending that its groundwater pumping threatens the public health, safety and infrastructure of local communities in a rural western county.

"The complaint filed in Maricopa County Superior Court alleges that the pumping at a #FondomonteArizonaLLC alfalfa farm has had widespread effects in the #RanegrasPlainBasin of La Paz County, harming everyone who depends on basin water by drawing down supplies, drying up wells and causing the ground to crack and sink in some areas.

"The lawsuit is the latest action by Arizona against foreign companies that use huge amounts of groundwater to grow thirsty forage crops for export because of climate challenges in other countries. Rural #Arizona is especially attractive to international businesses because it has no groundwater pumping regulations.

"The lawsuit alleges that since 2014, #Fondomonte has extracted huge amounts of water that accelerated depletion of the basin’s aquifer. The company is a subsidiary of Saudi dairy giant #Almarai Co."

https://apnews.com/article/arizona-groundwater-pumping-fondomonte-b586786d9e403f50d6725891e74f69ec
#WaterIsLife #WaterExtraction #BigAg #BigAgribusiness #ArizonaWater

#LocalActivism does work! A couple of years ago, #PolandSpring tried to double their extraction in my town during a time of #SevereDrought in #Maine. Myself and my neighbors fought back -- with maps of the aquifers showing how everything was connected -- and how #BigWater tried to alter the maps to reflect their interests! Always keep in mind -- the more a corporation *sponsors* local causes, the more they have to be accountable for. It's usually #GuiltMoney designed to skew the public in their favor!

Poland Spring withdraws request to extract more water in Hollis after residents object

By David Dahl
September 9, 2022

The request came as Hollis and the rest of Maine suffered a drought. Townspeople expressed their outrage at public meetings.

https://themainemonitor.org/poland-spring-withdraws-request-to-extract-more-water-in-hollis-after-residents-object/

#ClimateChange #WaterIsLife #CorporateColonialism #BlueTriton #WaterExtraction

Threat of massive drinking #WaterCrisis looms over American regions: ‘There will be parts of the U.S. that run out’

Story by Wes Stenzel, November 27, 2023

"A new study from The New York Times has revealed that substantial, consistent damage is being done to the #groundwater supply in the United States, which has massive negative implications for #agriculture, #DrinkingWater, construction, and more.

"What’s happening?

"In the past four decades, more than half of all American groundwater sites have been substantially depleted, as more water has been taken out than replenished naturally.

"Additionally, 40 percent of all locations have hit an all-time low.

"Pumping out groundwater disrupts layers of different substances below the Earth’s surface, as the ground can settle into the area where the water is taken out and take up space where it would ordinarily replenish.

"The New York Times sees a lack of regulation as one of the biggest issues regarding groundwater use. Additionally, The Times claims there is very little significant research and data tracking on a countrywide scale.

"Why is groundwater use important?

"Groundwater is essential to agriculture, and the depletion of the resource could fundamentally disrupt crop yields in the coming years in states such as Kansas, where the natural groundwater cannot support the agricultural industry anymore, according to The Times. Meanwhile, more arid states like California, Texas, and Utah are seeing widespread infrastructural damage to roads and the ground due to overpumping. Phoenix does not have enough groundwater in certain areas to construct new homes."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/threat-of-massive-drinking-water-crisis-looms-over-american-regions-there-will-be-parts-of-the-u-s-that-run-out/ar-AA1gYFLz?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=971c8e943db148f9f5b2886e53bb3cf4&ei=6

#WaterIsLife #WaterExtraction #BlueTriton #Nestle #PolandSpring #BigWater

Australia’s new nature laws

"Australia’s abysmal rates of extinctions and land clearing since European colonisation are infamous globally. Our national environmental legislation has largely failed to protect biodiversity, including many threatened plants, animals and ecological communities. But change is afoot."

"Habitat means homes for wildlife
Protection of sufficient and connected habitat must be central to Australia’s national environmental law. If homes for swift parrots, koalas, greater gliders and other threatened species continue to be destroyed and fragmented, it is all but guaranteed Australia will fail in its stated quest to avoid further extinctions."

"The new laws must state policy objectives such as no new extinctions and no actions that accelerate climate change."

"A Voice for Country and culture
Our national environment laws must make room for genuine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders participation in how matters of cultural and environmental significance are managed."

"It’s not an optional extra. We simply must invest in nature. We cannot afford not to."
>>
https://theconversation.com/5-things-we-need-to-see-in-australias-new-nature-laws-217271
#EPBCAct #law #biodiversity #wildlife #habitat #NativeForests #koalas #WaterExtraction #governance #extinctions #NatureRestoration

77% of farmland is associated with animals, including grazing and growing crops for animal feed, despite animals only providing 18% of global calories. OWID

#Farming #Agriculture #LandUse #WaterExtraction #BiodiversityLoss #ClimateChange #Extinctions

All diets are environmentally damaging. Junk food diets are especially so. Meat is worst, vegan ultra-processed foods substantially so. They lead to #ClimateChange, #deforestation, #WaterExtraction, #BiodiversityLoss, #Pollution. #WFPBD #VeganFood

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/food-system-and-climate-change-are-plantbased-diets-becoming-unhealthy-and-less-environmentally-sustainable/525CDD9FC618E5488A5B931669FA7493

What activism have I done lately? Well, last year, I helped to stop #BigWater's desire to double their extraction of a Maine aquifer during a drought -- by researching water table maps and presenting them at a public meeting. But beforehand, I made sure the local media knew about what was going on. One of the most effective techniques to help elicit change is to get the local media involved. Even in this day and age -- and especially in this day and age! Don't be afraid to speak your truths. Yeah, you might piss off some folks (especially if they rely on extractive industries for income), but you may find out you have allies that you didn't even know you had!
#Maine #WaterIsLife #WaterExtraction

Poland Spring withdraws request to extract more water in Hollis after residents object
The request came as Hollis and the rest of Maine suffered a drought. Townspeople expressed their outrage at public meetings.

https://www.themainemonitor.org/poland-spring-withdraws-request-to-extract-more-water-in-hollis-after-residents-object/