HB2638 continues Arizona’s on-farm irrigation efficiency pilot program and extends the program’s sunset date from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2029. The bill keeps in place a grant program administered by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension to help agricultural producers replace or modify flood irrigation systems with more efficient on-farm irrigation technologies. The program is intended to reduce use of groundwater, surface water, mainstream Colorado River water, and Central Arizona Project water while also collecting data on water savings and system performance.
The bill preserves the existing grant structure and eligibility rules, including funding limits of up to $1 million per applicant or related applicants on the same farm unit and no more than $1,500 per irrigable acre. Eligible systems must demonstrate at least 20% water savings compared with flood irrigation, and applicants must show active farming history and crop history in the region. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension remains responsible for administering the fund, reviewing applications, and reporting annually to legislative leaders and the Secretary of State. The bill also requires a one-time aggregate report within 90 days of the act’s effective date covering program years since inception.
Impact
HB2638 amends the prior law establishing the on-farm irrigation efficiency pilot program, extending the statutory authority for grants, fund administration, reporting, and related program activities through 2029. It continues the continuous appropriation of the on-farm irrigation efficiency fund, preserves the prohibition on receiving a state tax credit for the portion of a system paid for with grant funds, and maintains the reporting and data-collection requirements that support legislative oversight. The bill affects agricultural landowners, lessees, irrigation districts, and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, but does not create a new program; it extends and refines an existing one.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported. It advanced through committee and floor votes in both chambers with unanimous or near-unanimous approval, including 9-0 in House committee, 58-0 on House third reading, 8-0 in Senate committee, and 28-0 on Senate third reading. The lack of recorded opposition suggests general bipartisan agreement around continuing water-efficiency incentives for agriculture and maintaining the program’s data-gathering function.
Contention
No major contention is reflected in the available voting history or transcripts. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the continuation of grant funding, the extension of the sunset date, and the retention of eligibility and reporting requirements. Potential areas of debate in similar legislation could include whether water savings may be used on fallowed acreage in certain circumstances, the size of grants and administrative set-asides, and the balance between conservation goals and agricultural flexibility, but no specific objections are documented in the provided materials.