Arizona’s
natural beauty is undeniably impressive. We have the Grand
Canyon,
one of the Seven Wonders of the World right here. We’re also fortunate to have a
number of state and national parks that provide countless opportunities for
Arizonans and tourists to experience the unique beauty of our
state.
Although
our natural resources are abundant,
we must still protect them. It is incumbent upon all of us to be responsible
stewards of the air, water, land and cultural heritage that contribute to our
economy.
Legislative
Democrats have a plan to ensure the future of our natural resources. First, we
want to invest $20 million for one-time capital improvements to state parks. Our
state parks contributed $226 million to the economy in 2014 and supported 2,367
jobs throughout the state.[1]This
one-time money will be a down payment to restore and revitalize our park system,
ensuring that the parks continue to be economic drivers for the state and to
protect our environmental and cultural heritage into the future.
Legislative
Democrats also propose investing $3 million for forest fire prevention and $5
million to protect our water supply by restoring funding for the Water Quality
Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF). This fund protects access to safe drinking
water and promotes responsible stewardship of this critical
resource.
Additionally,
Legislative Democrats want to restore $3 million to the Arizona Department of Water Resources
(ADWR). The agency is in charge of ensuring our state has sufficient water
supplies to support growth, and its funding has been slashed since 2008. Funding
ADWR at the appropriate level is important to ensure we have professionals
protecting Arizona’s share of water for farmers, cities and towns.
By
reinvesting in our natural resources we can make sure our economy has a
foundation from which to grow and that the state remains a beautiful place to
live. To see a copy of the Legislative Democratic proposals to protect our
natural resources, click here.
To see a summary of the Democrats’ full, five-step plan for moving Arizona
forward, click here.
#DemsLead
