Spring Snail wrote on October 29, 2009 12:23 PM: From PBS Independent Lens program "Democracy on Deadline" interview;

According to Chuck Neubauer;

"Then there was the connection in Nevada between Sen. Harry Reid and the powerful developer Harvey Whittemore. Reid helped his friend Whittemore get things from the federal government for his huge Coyote Springs development, and Whittemore’s personal lawyer happens to be one of Reid’s sons."

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/democracyondeadline/neubauer.html

If Harry Reid can reverse his position on the SNWA pipeline by admitting severe risks to the aquifers being tapped, maybe he can restore his credibility as a Democrat who actually cares about Nevada's ecosystem, not only caring about lining his pockets with developer lobbyist kickbacks??

Spring Snail wrote on October 29, 2009 12:07 PM: My theory is the reasoning behind SNWA's push for the pipeline is to benefit suburban sprawl developments like Harvey Whittemore's Coyote Springs fiasco northwest of Moapa along the 93. This large scale isolated development coincidentally sits along the proposed SNWA's pipeline route. General "Pipeline Pat" Mulroy once recieved generous funding for the pipeline project from Whittemore, though for now he claims not to be interested in tapping into the pipeline if it passes his real estate projects. Harry Reid supports the SNWA pipeline because his son remains employed by Whittemore and there are shared interests in the pipeline going through. Unfortunately establishment Democrats like Harry Reid cannot be trusted with protecting Nevada's environment any more than Republicans, as shown by Reid's continued support for the SNWA pipeline. When, if ever, will Harry Reid come to his senses and speak out against the SNWA pipeline for placing several aquifers at risk? When will people learn from previous disasters like Owens Valley and not repeat the same mistakes? We need alternative sources for water conservation, Las Vegans can become trendsetters by installing rooftop rainwater catchment filtration systems and planting more drought tolerant landscaping. Summer thundershowers could be intercepted and filtered instead of running off into roads and washes causing risks of flooding. Rainwater catchment would be more reliable in the long term than tapping into distant aquifers that won't be able to replenish themselves in time before they are overdrafted by Pat's pipeline to nowhere.

BO wrote on October 28, 2009 12:52 AM: LOL,

The proposed route for that water pipeline looks more like somebody grabbed a hand full of spaghetti and threw it up against the wall.

douglas wrote on October 27, 2009 10:51 PM: wonder what hydro-geologist credentials the judge might possess.

same as the car czar specifying u.s. cars to be manufactured.

or politicians designing a monorail.

GH wrote on October 27, 2009 09:16 PM: Yeah wrote: "What should be targeted are the numerous golf courses that overuse an enormous amount of water."

According to the SNWA golf courses use 7% of southern nevada's water.

They are also heavily charged if they go over what they are allowed.

From LVV water authority:

Golf courses are budgeted 6.3 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre annually.

If they go over that number they are charged as follows:

101 to 120 percent - 2 times the highest rate paid for water within budget.
121 to 140 percent - 5 times the highest rate paid for water within budget.
More than 140 percent - 9 times the highest rate paid for water within budget.

I'm not saying golf courses aren't part of the problem but they are a tiny part compared to residential use and they are already heavily charged if they overuse.

Golf courses are also an important tourism draw and I think we need to be careful not to only blame the businesses like Casinos and other tourist related business that actually keep Las Vegas alive.

GH wrote on October 27, 2009 09:05 PM: Cynical Observer wrote: "Nevada will never have decent environmental laws until the Republicans, mining interests and business interests lose control of the Legislature."

The only problem with your theory is that Democrats control both the assembly and senate.

So maybe that should read: Nevada will never have decent environmental laws until the Democrats, mining interests and business interests lose control of the Legislature.

Of course I view the Democrats and Republicans as more or less the same party in most instances so we're screwed either way!

Release wrote on October 27, 2009 08:56 PM: Glen Canyon Dam is storing all the water Lake Meads needs and more. That's the purpose of Glen Canyon Dam -- that is to act as an holding area for additional water for Lake Mead. Release the water into Lake Mead will ya and cut our water rates dramatically.

ObamasTeleprompter wrote on October 27, 2009 08:23 PM: Why hasn't the SNWA ever suggested a building moratorium in Clark County? It would have the immediate effect of propping up house prices while limiting the future demand for water. SNWA's failure to even mention a moratorium evidences that the Water Authority is beholden the builders. Follow the money my friends.

NOH2O4ULV!

Thomas A. Carpenter wrote on October 27, 2009 07:56 PM: Water is new " Gold " of the 21st century ! If you have it, guard it because there's always a thief lurking around.

Over Growth wrote on October 27, 2009 07:55 PM: It's decades past time to impose growth limits in the Las Vegas valley. There is too much development for such a limited resource like water. Mulroy and her goon squad want to pull an Owens Valley on our rural neighbors by sucking the aquifers dry. Until there's a complete study of how the northern aquifers recharge, there should be no pumping. Overpumping the aquifers can shut them down permanently. Then what happens to the $2 to $3.5 billion dollar pipeline? It's left sucking dust...

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