New Mexicans are familiar with the effects of drought, and many in the state are aware of the disagreement between New Mexico and Texas for water rights.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas may proceed with its lawsuit against New Mexico over management of the Rio Grande.
New Mexico Attorney General Gary King anticipated the ruling, and says that he is confident that once New Mexico has the opportunity it will be able to prove that it has not broken the 1938 Rio Grande Compact. He says there are a couple of arguments that are now available to the state.
“One is that the court now will give us an opportunity to file a motion for some re-judgment, so that we can argue even though court has accepted the petition there are not enough sufficient facts to move forward with the case anymore,” says Attorney General King.
King says that another option the state has to rely on is the lawsuit he brought forth challenging a 2008 water sharing agreement.
“We have a case that is going on in Federal District Court that’s much more well suited to look at all the evidence and that the Supreme Court should allow us to move forward in the case in Federal District Court, rather than the U.S. Supreme Court,” says King.
King says that the announcement by the court allowing Texas to proceed is just the beginning of the process.