Attorney General Rob McKenna Praises CSRIA for Being a Leader in Water Conservation & Efficiency

Online, August 9, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Kennewick, Wash. - On July 23, Attorney General Rob McKenna attended the Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association Annual Business Luncheon at the Columbia Center Red Lion.

Over 40 people attended, including approximately 25 members of the Columbia Snake River Irrigators Association, various local government leaders, several Benton and Franklin county commissioners (Leo Bowman, Max Benitz, Jr. and Rick Miller), and state legislators (Rep. Bruce Chandler and Rep. Terry Nealey).

During his remarks, McKenna said, "Because I come over here so often and get to talk to people in agriculture, I have some sense of what's required, what you've invested and what it takes to keep a farm in the family and be successful."

What it takes is water, and McKenna said he believes that irrigators should be able to conserve water without losing their water rights.

McKenna said it's time to recognize that people like the members of the irrigators association are the best stewards of natural resources.

"As attorney general, I have reached some conclusions about water," he said. "The first thing I have learned based on my own experience is that organizations like the Columbia Snake River Irrigators Association are very, very important to the wise management of water resources in Eastern Washington. Moreover, they are really vital to our state economy."

He spoke about the importance of agriculture to the economy, and the state's need to optimize the economic potential and benefits of the Columbia River.

"The strategy for water policy in our state must be set up to incentivize water conservation within water rights allocation," he said. "You know what optimal conservation looks like. What the state needs to avoid is penalizing you for doing so."