Arizona governor blocks Saudi Arabia from pumping water in the drought-stricken state: ‘It’s unacceptable’

 Arizona has taken a stand on irresponsible groundwater use, canceling the lease of Saudi-owned farm Fondomonte, which had essentially unrestricted access to Arizona water supplies.

After the farm violated lease terms, the Associated Press reported, the state determined that Fondomonte would no longer have unchecked access to groundwater for its alfalfa farms and that three more similar leases under the company’s name would also not be renewed next year.

In the five years from 2018 to 2022, the Arizona Department of Resources recorded “exceptional drought” in at least some areas.

Since 2000, there have been 18 years in which at least some level of extreme drought was recorded in the state...more