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<br />The Honorable state Senate <br />October 11, 1983 <br />Page Two <br /> <br />that Senate Bill 439 does not create a prior <br />appropriation system for non-tributa~ groundwater <br />and therefore does not create any pr ior i ty system <br />in non- tributary gtoundwater. The measure, I am <br />informed, is intended to prevent dislocations for <br />people who came before the water court arrl staked <br />their investwents on the pre-Huston jurisdictional <br />approach that the Supreme Court said was improper. <br /> <br />2. We must move at oree toward canprehensive <br />legislation that will address the issue of how the <br />state should exercise its plenary control over <br />non-tributary groundwater. In doir'B so I believe <br />that we should consider all the alternatives. We <br />should look at the e>.-per ience of other states and <br />face several important issues: Is the IOO-year <br />limit in the well permit statute appropriate? <br />Should cornmmities be assured of a 10rBer life- <br />line? Should the life of the limited resource be <br />prolonged by using it only to supplement renewable <br />surface water sources? Are there simple, <br />inexpensive prOCedures for applying whatever rules <br />are developed? The answers to any of these ques- <br />tions are of vital inportance to our children arxi <br />grardchildren. \'1e are making long-run determi- <br />nations about how a finite, lifegiving resource is <br />to be used. Thus our planning responsibilities <br />must be undertaken with a consciousness of the <br />impact on future generations. Those resources can <br />give us long-run security or a short-run binge. <br />The choice is clear. <br /> <br />So that we will move toward fulfilling our responsibility to address <br />the great issue of how to deal with non-tributa~ groundwater, I am <br />asking David Getches, Executive Director of the Depart!nent of Natural <br />Resources, to initiate at once a study of possible alternative <br />approaches to the administration of groundwater. I am directing him <br />to bring together a group of water law experts from within our state <br />to help the Department formulate recomnerrlations that then can be <br />considered by the Legislature next year. I umerstarri that many in <br />the Legislature are dedicated to working for the prompt enactment of <br />appropriate legislation. <br /> <br />My remarks shoula not be intended as critical of the Legislature's <br />efforts. I recognize the pressures you were, under in the brief <br />