Number: 1983-06
WHEREAS, management of water resources has traditionally been the province of state government; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Supreme Court recently held in the case of Sporhase v. Nebraska that blanket prohibitions on the export of water out of a state are unconstitutional; and
WHEREAS, the Court declared that states may constitutionally restrict the use and transport of water only so long as the restrictions are evenhanded and narrowly tailored to a conservation purpose; and
WHEREAS, existing water laws in each of the seventeen western states may be affected by the Supreme Court ruling; and
WHEREAS, the decision left fully intact the authority of the states to enforce restrictions on water export when accomplished within the framework of a comprehensive water management statute; and
WHEREAS, the decision fully recognizes the authority and responsibility of the states to enter into interstate compacts to ensure a fair allocation of water resources among the western states; and
WHEREAS, the states now have — without the need for any new federal legislation — an excellent opportunity to adopt modern conservation measures;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 17-20, 1983, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hereby expresses its support for efforts by state governments to enact new water conservation laws aimed at attaining efficient use of water by both in-state and out-of-state users and at ensuring more efficient pricing, planning, and management of this precious resource; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation supports efforts by the states to enter into interstate discussions, agreements, and compacts aimed at fairly and thoughtfully resolving the pressing natural resource policy issues involved in interbasin and interstate transfers of water.