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Thursday, January 18, 2007

EMW Gas Looks to Get Into Water

By Matt Gomez
Mountain View Telegraph
    Representatives of EMW Gas Association asked the Estancia Board of Trustees on Tuesday to sign a resolution granting EMW permission to pursue the option of becoming a gas and water association.
    Jim Schwebach, chairman of the EMW board of directors, expressed EMW's concern with a "big money" company from out of state gaining control of water in the Estancia Valley.
    "We thought if we had a locally controlled water company that it would be a good thing," Schwebach said. "We ... decided that possibly EMW would be the right way to go— we have the easement, we have knowledgeable people, we're currently in the pipeline business."
    Estancia trustees signed the resolution, signing their names alongside those of the Willard Village Council.
    Because EMW is a nonprofit organization owned by Moriarty, Estancia and Willard, Schwebach said, it needs permission from its membership— the council members from each municipality— to change the bylaws to pursue the option of becoming a water association.
    The resolution still lacks signatures from the mayor and councilors of Moriarty, but Schwebach said the city has tentatively agreed to sign the resolution.
    EMW general manager Jerry Sanchez said EMW would normally wait for its annual meeting to approach the municipalities for support, but with the legislative session already in progress it would like approval sooner.
    EMW hopes to seek financing from the state Legislature for a feasibility study to learn more about the logistics of becoming a water association, Schwebach said.
    "This does not mean it's going to happen, but I think as three municipalities, instead of just one organization, I think it has a better chance," Sanchez said.
    One advantage of EMW operating as a gas and water association, Sanchez said, is that rates would be controlled by a nonprofit organization rather than a larger company seeking profit.
    "The rates are set by the board of directors," Sanchez said.
    Estancia Mayor Martin Hibbs said it's important for residents and municipalities in the Estancia Valley to show that the area needs water and that it wouldn't be beneficial to ship any water out of the area.
    "We live out here because we're independent, we've got all the farmers and ranchers and residents in the county with straws stuck in the ground and no one was united with a plan to fight exportation," Hibbs said. "What this allows us to do, if it's feasible ... is come up with a plan of how to service people ...
    "(EMW) can service the county (with water) the same way they service gas," Hibbs continued.
    Art Swenka, president of the Estancia Basin Resource Association, expressed EBRA's support.
    "We certainly support the idea of a regional water company because we need to plan and earmark our water," Swenka said.
    Schwebach said Wednesday that EMW is just going after a preliminary study to find out if becoming a water association is possible.
    "We're probably quite a long way off from getting into production," Schwebach said.
    Schwebach said EMW isn't sure at this point if EMW would try to purchase water rights, lease water or purchase well water.
    "There's a lot of things we don't know," Schwebach said. "We do know enough about it to know that we don't know what we're doing ... we need help."