SW New Mexico News

The New Mexico Entity of the Central Arizona Project (NMCAP) is locking horns with the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) regarding the agency's decision to deny further funding for the Gila Diversion Project.

According to the Gila Conversation Coalition's statement, "costs of the Gila River diversion project are estimated to be $350 million to $450 million while the federal subsidy available under the Arizona  Water Settlement Act of 2004 (AWSA) amounts to only 30% to 40% of the total capital cost, leaving a shortfall of more than $200 million to $300 million."

NMCAP had been working on an deadline extension for its application for approximately $56 million in funding for the project to advance several items under the AWSA. 

By the end of last year, NMCAP had to submit federal environmental impact statements and receive a federal Record of Decision. According to Anthony Gutierrez, executive director for the NMCAP, everything is moving in the right direction and all documents are close to being in place and the process is working.

“We will receive a schedule soon,” Gutierrez said, according to the Silver City Daily Press. “Mid-April will be the notice in the Federal Register that starts the public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement, and 'December 2020 for the Record of  Decision.'"

Due to the fact that the Record of Decision did not meet a posted deadline of  Dec. 31, NMCAP will lose its ability to spend the $56 million in funding since the ISC is denying funding.

ISC has not announced if it is going to spend more funding money on the diversion project.