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Thursday, February 7, 2008

Editorial: Keep Basin Safe From Neighbors

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    The Ten Commandments tell us not to covet the house or anything else belonging to your neighbor.
    But covetous eyes have looked upon the water in the Estancia Basin, and state Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort has been trying to get those eyes to turn away for years.
    Some people, let's call them Albuquerque and Santa Fe, have been looking for water to serve ever-increasing demands. In their search, they have gazed upon the Estancia Basin, which has fewer demands for water, but demands nonetheless.
    Beffort has been trying for several years to get a bill passed that would require anyone wanting to transfer water out of the basin to prove there is no water in the place they want to transfer it. Her efforts have failed in the past because the language called for a statewide restriction of moving water from one basin to another. But this year, a memorial sponsored by Beffort found support from State Engineer John D'Antonio because it refers only to the Estancia Basin.
    While the memorial would not be law, it would still hold weight with the State Engineer and the courts.
    New Mexico's Constitution states that water belongs to the public. It doesn't take into account what taking water from one basin to another would do.
    Beffort's memorial is clearly a step in the right direction toward protecting Estancia Basin water from neighbors who might covet it.