Governor's position on water
This is a summary of the Governor's presentation to the Water Round Table in Lincoln on December 13th. He references both the Republican River Basin and the Platte River Basin
There are too many irrigated acres
Even if drought disappears problem remains
Ethanol subsidy commitment is under-funded by about $80 million
Taxes are too high
Will work with NRDs
Must lower consumptive use
IMPs must focus on future and quit playing blame game
Republican River Basin Compact does not allow exit or ability to ignore
Expects 200,000 AF overage at the end of 2007
2003 was the last year the State was in compliance
Solutions
Vegetation
CREP/EQIP
Limit to Sustainable
Decrease consumptive use
Committed to 962
Must work together
Asked UNL to find best use of water
Will veto any dedicated sales tax
No money for compliance unless it is taken from schools or Medicaid
To keep young people – must lower taxes and control spending
423 will come back if we don't control spending
No funding to share but won't ignore problems
80% of pop lives on 20% of land mass