Guinn takes some heat for drying up water division

Friday, Sept. 1, 2000 | 10:50 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn is coming under criticism by environmental groups and others for eliminating the state Water Planning Division in a budget-saving move.

Kaitlyn Backlund, executive director of Citizen Alert, called the move "outrageous." Nevada, she said, is among the driest and fastest-growing states and it "faces critical problems on water quality and supply issues."

"To eliminate the division now in order to save a couple of dollars is outrageous, especially considering that the state Division of Water Planning has received national recognition from the National Conference of State Legislatures for its water policy analysis, public education and consensus building."

Scott Scherer, Guinn's chief of staff, said Mike Turnipseed, director of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, made a budget decision. He said Turnipseed saw higher priorities in other areas of the agency.

State Water Planner Naomi Duerr and one other person are out of a job. Other employees are being transferred within the division, Scherer said. There were six vacancies in the agency.

Scherer said Freeman Johnson, the deputy director in conservation and natural resources, is working with the state Personnel Department for the two people who lost their positions.

The agency was responsible for drawing up the state water plan and was also involved in a state environmental plan. Scherer said the water plan is complete and the duties can be handled by other divisions.

Guinn has told state agencies that next year's budget will be the same as this one with no increases for such things as utilities and step raises for workers.

Scherer said Turnipseed felt he "didn't need that level of people in that function."

Bob Fulkerson, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, said, "The governor's fundamental review committee has recently been criticized by Common Cause and other good-government advocates for its lack of public participation.

"This latest move by the governor to quickly and radically eliminate a major function of state government demonstrates that the process is flawed and lacking in direction."

A press conference was scheduled today to ask the governor to reinstate the agency. Among those supporting the call to restore the division are the Nevada Wilderness Project, Trout Unlimited, Sierra Club, Alliance for Workers Rights, the Great Basin Mine Watch and the Rural Alliance for Military Accountability.

Turnipseed said water planning and other programs will not be hurt by this shuffling of personnel. He said the water planning, flood control and the grants program will be sent to the various division in the agency.

He called this "a re-allocation of resources."