Buried in the disturbing Trump news, along with Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo’s “F— you” message to anyone criticizing Republicans, lies assembly bill AB419 in the Nevada legislature. It is designed to give Vidler Water Company more power in advancing its portfolio of premium water rights in Nevada.
The Assembly bill, primarily sponsored on behalf of the Vidler Corporation by Republicans Rich DeLong, Lisa Cole, and Bert Gurr, with Republican cosponsors Jill Dickman, and PK O’Neill, aims to reduce the discretion of the Nevada Water engineer, thereby creating a faster, but damaging, regulatory system more favorable to Vidler and its parent company, D.R. Horton, Inc.
In April 2002, D.R. Horton, Inc., the Arlington, Texas-based homebuilder, acquired the Vidler Water Company to advance its portfolio of premium water rights and other water-related assets in the southwestern United States. This covers markets where D.R. Horton operates that require water for development but lack adequate supply.
Vidler doesn’t deliver water to people or own any water treatment or desalination facilities. Instead, they profit by speculating on untapped water acquired from rural communities and marketed to developers and corporations in growth communities.[1]
Vidler has made 203 applications to the Nevada Water Engineer. Of those, 67.98 % have been abrogated (repealed), denied, protested or withdrawn. Of those, 2.96 % are ready for action (RFA) but delayed.
Passing the bill fast-tracks water rights approvals, thus reducing the number of carefully considered actions by water regulators unfavorable to Vidler and its parent company, D.R. Horton.
In addition, attempting to fast-track water applications increases the staff load necessary for the Division of Water Resources to carefully consider them, estimated at $10,146,271 this fiscal year and growing to $24,613,100 in future years (see Fiscal Notes).
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[1] In 2001, Vidler acquired 267 acre-feet of Muddy River water appropriations to generate income by leasing the appropriations to water utilities.