All rights reserved. Ben Tracy is a CBS News senior national and environmental correspondent based in Los Angeles. Licensed in WI - Joel Braun, Broker. I. 2023. You have permission to edit this article. A handful of properties on the Island have extended leases with the Arizona State Land Department before they were set to expire at the end of the month. Energy and Natural Resources. In June, The Arizona Republic reported that the State Land Department had given a sweet deal to a Saudi Arabian company called Fondomonte to farm areas in Butler Valley nearBouse andgrow alfalfa and ship itback to the Middle East to feed its cows. AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, The Arizona Republic revealed sweetheart land leases to Fondomonte, The Saudis are draining Arizona to feed their cows, right? All rights reserved. Licensed in RI - Daniel Ruggiero, Broker, National Land Realty SD, LLC DBA National Land Realty The water in the area is designated as a future supply for Phoenix and other urban areas. Licensed in MO - Brandon Jennings, Broker, National Land Realty MO LLC DBA National Land Realty CBS News asked the department why it granted the leases, but it did not respond to our multiple requests for comment. Five Easy Ways to Make Money Leasing Your Land, 4 Things a Good Land Lease Agreement Should Include, Save searches and get instant updates on new search results, Get updates on the status of your saved listings. Licensed in PA - Tom McCreary Jr., Broker. C. Each offer for lease shall reserve the right in the department to reject any and all bids and to again offer the tract or tracts for lease if the bids received are not acceptable to the department. A period of time shall not exceed five years. Contact reporter Rob O'Dell at rob.odell@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @robodellaz. 2023. Arizonas water director is looking at proposals to allow some development to use , A Lake Havasu City man was arrested last month, after he reportedly entered the fe, Youth from Lake Havasu City are invited to attend an inaugural educational game ni. Robert Lane served as State Land commissioner from 1982 to 1987. B. Mayes said she would continue to work with Hobbs "on protecting the people of La Paz County, and Arizona's groundwater supplies.". Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake wants to cancel the leases as well, said communications director Ross Trumble. Arizona State Land Department. Fondomonte, which is owned by a major dairy company in Saudi Arabia, [] Bruce Babbitt served as governor of Arizona from 1978 to 1987. Amid a backlash, the state legislature is considering a ban on most foreign-owned farms. accounts, the history behind an article. For some, the question is: how did this happen? D. Upon announcement of the successful bidder, the first year's annual rental shall be paid by cashier's check. State Land Department: If appropriate, issue preliminary approval for proposed school site on State Land. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Rob O'Dell Arizona Republic View Comments 0:00 0:33 Democratic attorney general candidate Kris Mayes is calling to investigate and potentially cancel the leases the State Land Department. 39-121.03. Commercial. 1110 W Washington St. In addition to the requirements of section 37-281, subsections B, C, D and E, the leases shall be granted according to the constitution and laws of this state and rules of the department. All state lands are subject to lease as provided in this article for a term of not more than ten years for grazing purposes without public auction. It's a simple and straightforward approach when you lease your property through National Land Realty. Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on State Holidays. be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties the consumers may be interested in purchasing. "I think most Arizonans find it shocking that our government is giving the state's water away to a Saudi corporation at a time of extreme drought," Mayessaid. 37-281.02. MINERAL EXPLORATION PERMITS A non-refundable filing fee of $500.00 is required for each application. Some IDX listings have been excluded from this website. The Arizona State Land Department has paused "all" renewals and new applications to lease state-owned land in groundwater transportation basins, according to Nancy Garcia, the. Lease of state lands for grazing purposes; notice. In addition, the water that is being pumped by Fondomonte islocated in whats called a transfer basin, meaning water sucked from the ground can be shipped to areas of the state where groundwater is regulated. The auction shall be conducted at the place, in the manner, and after the notice by publication provided for sales of such lands except as otherwise provided in this section. Licensed in NV - Phillip Thomas, Broker, National Land Realty NY LLC DBA National Land Realty Katie Hobbs, the Democratic candidate for governor, has criticized the leases several times, calling them "sweetheart deals" and saidshe would "protect Arizona's water resources from corrupt actors.". Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Clear skies. "I call for a cessation of these leases, an audit of the leases, and an investigation into this particular lease. Arizona State Land Department Public Education Leases 1. Your lease or permit number is located at the top of any invoice you have received or on the lease/permit documents, referenced as 'KE Lease Number' . Search our wide variety of leasing opportunities perfect for taking your children on their first hunt, connecting . Licensed in MN - Terri Jensen, Broker. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. On NationalLand.com, you can find land for lease in a variety of different categories including: Search our wide variety of leasing opportunities perfect for taking your children on their first hunt, connecting with a farm owner in your area who's in need of a new tenant, or even finding the right building for your next business venture. Licensed in ID - Roger Todd Dye, Broker, National Land Realty West ID, LLC DBA National Land Realty Arizona Oil and Gas Lease Sales | Bureau of Land Management Licensed in MO - Daniel Hertzog, Broker, National Land Realty Eastern MO LLC DBA National Land Realty Licensed in TN - Matthew Carr, Broker. With aggressive marketing Katie Hobbs earlier this year, who said Mayes did not have the sole authority to take action, but who has criticized the deals, too. Licensed in VA - Casey Reynolds, Broker, National Land Realty Western VA, LLC DBA National Land Realty For commercial leases of state land more than three miles outside the boundaries of incorporated cities and towns having a population of ten thousand persons or less or more than five miles outside the boundaries of incorporated cities and towns having a population in excess of ten thousand persons, the department shall cooperate with the county or counties in which the land to be leased is located in considering the intended uses. The leases shall be granted in accordance with the Constitution of Arizona, state laws and the rules of the department. The State Land Department inherited the Island leases from the Bureau of Land Management in the 1980s. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Fondomonte declined CBS News' request for an interview or statement. Exploration permits, mineal and material leases apply to Arizona State Trust Land. Yellen says China trip "has been successful" in forging relationships, "Camera Girl": The story of Jackie before JFK, ISIS leader killed by airstrike in Syria, U.S. Central Command says, Cultivated meat: Lab-grown meat without killing animals, Unsafe streets: The dangers facing pedestrians, Gunman on scooter opens fire in New York City, kills 1 and wounds 3, Mexican journalist found dead days after being reported missing, Fiance speaks out after ex-boyfriend kills her husband-to-be, Saudi company draws unlimited Arizona ground water for crop illegal to grow in Saudi Arabia, Nervous NATO allies on Russia's border look "to America for leadership", Dr. Caitlin Bernard speaks out to CBS News. Let us know what's going on! The State Land Department is overseen byDucey, who appointed current Land Commissioner Lisa Atkins. Want to buy? Licensed in FL - Jason Walter, Broker. A handful of properties on the Island have extended leases with the Arizona State Land Department before they . Homes, Cabins, Acreages, and Lots. Licensed in NY - Daniel Ruggiero, Broker, National Land Realty RI, LLC DBA National Land Realty High 108F. Stacey Barchenger Arizona Republic View Comments 0:04 0:47 A private company that farms alfalfa in Arizona's Butler Valley cannot drill two additional wells on state-owned land there,. Fondomonte, which is owned by one of the largest dairy companies in Saudi Arabia, bought vast tracts of desert in western Arizona on top of a massive groundwater aquifer in part because there are no regulations on how much water can be pumped out of the ground. Licensed in WA - Darren Goodding, Broker, National Land Realty WV, LLC DBA National Land Realty Licensed in MA - Daniel Ruggiero, Broker, National Land Realty ME, LLC DBA National Land Realty Start earning some extra income and get access to the best tools in the industry by leasing your property through National Land Realty. But Fondomonte is paying just $86,000 annually to lease the land. All rights reserved. State Land Department | Arizona State Library An official website of the United States government. Arizona blocks Saudi company from drilling 2 more wells on state land CNN Amid Arizona's worsening groundwater crisis, the state's new attorney general is vowing to crack down on foreign-owned farms that lease land from the state with the benefit of. "I generally believe the attorney general should not be invalidating or overturning lawful contracts with private entities," he said. Please check your email for instructions on how to activate your account with one click. Be Nice. Licensed in AR - Jeramy Stephens, Broker. The Arizona Constitution, Article 10, Section 4, requires that land leases and products of land shall be appraised at their true value.. Abundant sunshine. Those included listing different landowners and conflicting information about whether the wells were new or replacements. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Baldwin MLS. "There's nothing to say except, that's insane," said Mayes. Mayes is also calling for the Saudi Arabian company to pay the state approximately $38 million for using the water in La Paz County, which sits in a basin that could be tapped as a future water source for the Phoenix area. Mid America Regional Information Systems. If you do not receive an email from us, please check your spam folder. State Land Department employees said the water being pumped from the ground could be worth as much as $4 million annually. 00:00 00:00 An unknown error has occurred Author: William Pitts. Fondomonte pays only $25 per acre annually, which is about one-sixth of the market price for farm land in that area, according to experts interviewed by The Republic as well as the state's own mass appraisal for areas in and around Butler Valley. Licensed in WV - Casey Reynolds, Broker, National Land Realty NE VA, LLC DBA National Land Realty Well, not exactly. State trust lands, as they are known, are managed to raise money for education. How did a teen sleepover turn into a murder investigation. Fondomonte trucks haul dried alfalfa off the property it uses and ships it back to the Middle East to feed cattle. Licensed in GA - Cameron Smith, Broker, National Land Realty ID LLC DBA National Land Realty A. 37-281.01 - Lease of state lands for grazing purposes; notice Campground manager Gary Wenger said the state agency hadnt been clear yet about what specifically needed to be improved, but he said there is a definite need for increased electrical capacity at the site. Mining claims cannot be used as a residence or home site. National Land Realty, LLC DBA National Land Realty Licensed in FL - Clint Flowers, Broker, National Land Realty Arizona LLC DBA National Land Realty Low 86F. In June, The Arizona Republic uncovered the story of how the State Land Department had recently handed over thousands of acres to a Saudi corporation called Fondomonte, giving it permission to pump unlimited amounts of groundwater to grow alfalfa hay for export to Saudi Arabia. None Reference Rights of Way . Arizona Republic View Comments The Saudis aren't draining Arizona. B. What should be done to clean up this scandal? Compare historical land sales data for your area. ASLD ROW or Commercial Lease and Sales Section Manager ASLD Planning and Engineering Section Manager ADOT Aeronautics . B. The department shall require an applicant to pay a deposit before beginning to process an application to lease state trust lands if the applicant did not bid at an auction where the applicant initiated the process. The deposit shall be based on the approximate first year rental plus administrative expenses and shall be deposited in a noninterest bearing account. Monies must be deposited at the time of filing an application or at a time determined by the commissioner. He said that when he looks onto his neighbor's property, he sees money leaving America. 2023 www.azcentral.com. "Arizonans deserve anattorney general who will be a watchdog over things like this," she said. State Lease Sales Arizona BLM Arizona Oil and Gas Lease Sales BLM Arizona conducts oil and gas lease sales in accordance with federal law. B. Licensed in VT - Peter Mazeine, Broker. A company executive and public relations representative did not answer questions for this article, including about whether Fondomonte would appeal the permits or the effect on its farming. A formal partnership between the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) was established on June 9, 2009, and includes the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). 2023. Leasing state lands for commercial purposes for more than ten years. Well, not exactly, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. that is degrading to another person. "It is a scandal that the State of Arizona allowed this to happen," said Mayes, a Democrat, who made canceling these leases a centerpiece of her recent campaign. 10. Doug Ducey should instruct the State Land Department to void the lease and restore Butler Valley to its intended use as a groundwater reserve for the future. Not even close. And according to U.S. Geological Survey studies, alfalfa in Butler Valley requires 6.4 acre-feet of water per acre. Expert guides to food, music and nightlife, plus our best getaways when you need to escape the "dry heat". Licensed in TX - (Houston Office - Richard Gaul, Broker; Huntsville Office - James Hanna, Broker; Mabank, Frisco, and Amarillo Offices - Dustin Weems, Broker; Hill Country Office - Mark Wright, Broker; West Texas Office - Wayne Dunson, Broker; Marshall Office - Robert "Clay" Allen, Broker), National Land Realty WA LLC DBA National Land Realty The minimum recording expenditure is about $200 per new federal mining claim. Land Ownership Trust Parcels Beneficiaries Mineral Parcels Oil\Gas Parcels Overlays. Moneygenerated from the rental and sale of state land is earmarked to help fund K-12 education. It takes less than a day to strip a mobile home of its built-on decks and awnings, jack it up, position new wheels and tow it out of the park . The Arizona Republic reported that the State Land Department had given a sweet deal, Democrat with rural roots wants to be Arizona's next attorney general, called for Gov. On NationalLand.com, you can find land for lease in a variety of different categories including: Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational. PDF Arizona State Land Department (Asld) - Adot 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. CBS Mornings Saudi company draws unlimited Arizona ground water to grow alfalfa amid drought By Ben Tracy April 20, 2023 / 10:39 AM / CBS News Farms in western Arizona are growing alfalfa - one. Licensed in CT - Daniel Ruggiero, Broker. Your lease or permit number is located at the top of any invoice you have received or on the lease/permit documents, referenced as 'KE Lease Number' . AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Licensed in AZ - Korley Sears, Broker, National Land Realty of California, Inc. DBA National Land Realty On the department's internet web site. NRCD ROW by Section Zoom to KE Lease. Island properties extend state land leases | Local News Stories Kadish v. Arizona State Land Dept. :: 1987 - Justia Law Island properties extend state land leases, 2225 W. Acoma Blvd.,Lake Havasu City,AZ, Stay Informed. 37-101 et seq. Whats the value of your land? Newly Elected Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes plans to repeal a land deal with a Saudi farm company in La Paz County. Doug Ducey and Attorney General Mark Brnovich to force Fondomonte, "protect Arizona's water resources from corrupt actors. To obtain access to our Community Portal site, please click the link But what it's doing in Arizona is not illegal. The Island Inn and the state are using an interim arrangement to finalize the details on a lease of 30 years or more, Masel said. 37-281.02 - Leasing state lands for commercial - Arizona Legislature La Paz County supervisor Holly Irwin, who has been sounding the alarm about foreign-owned farms since they began operating there in 2015, said Fondomonte is growing alfalfa in the Arizona desert "because they've depleted their natural resource" back home. The easiest way to find, save, and personalize your search for the perfect piece of land. Zoom to TRS. If there are no bids at the time of the auction, the department shall transfer the deposit made by the applicant to the appropriate trust beneficiary. Doug Ducey and Attorney General Mark Brnovich to force Fondomonte to pay the state as much as $38 million for the water pumped out of the Butler Valley basin over the past seven years. Anyone who buys or leases land there can put in a well and draw water. She said canceling the leases is an urgent concern because groundwater in the valley is supposed to be the state's emergency water supply during a water crisis. How much is Fondomonte pumping? Leasing your property is a great way to earn extra income from your land and we've got the best tools in the industry to help you accomplish Land for Lease | National Land Realty The failure to pay the first year's rent at the time of the auction or to pay the amount exceeding the minimum bid by 5:00 p.m. on the fifth business day after the auction results in forfeiture of the lease and all monies paid. 1. Her emphasis on doing so led to a brief public disagreement with fellow Democrat Gov. All rights reserved. This does not include the use of public records as evidence or research for evidence in an action. Ducey should instruct the attorney general to collect past due rentals of about $38 million to be held in trust for the benefit of Arizona school children. Address: City: Then came the harassment, A butler to the rich and famous says you should never open a bottle of wine gifted by a dinner guest that same night, One of Texas' Most Wanted fugitives in custody, Incredible Photos Show What Dubai Is ReallyLike, Friday marks 7 years since Downtown Dallas attack, Hopkinsville Police Department training officers as EMTs, About 5,700 PG&E customers in Calaveras County without power. Grazing lease on state land is upheld - Arizona Daily Star All rights reserved. The state doesn't even know exactly how much water the foreign farms are using. Licensed in VA - Chuck Neely, Broker, Corporate Office: 855-384-LANDinfo@nationalland.com. Licensed in KY - Lexington Office - Trey McCallie, Broker. The well permits were granted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources in August 2022, according to state well records. Licensed in MS - (Hattiesburg Office - Mark Anderson, Broker; Kosciusko Office - Beth Mclellan, Broker; Houston Office - Mark Lewis, Broker; Natchez Office - Vidal Davis, Broker; Jackson Office - Ronnie Richardson, Broker; Leland Office - Sam Franklin, Broker; Gulf Coast Office - Clint Flowers, Broker). She stopped short of calling for the leases to be canceled or investigated. All state lands are subject to lease as provided in this article for a term of not more than ten years for grazing purposes without public auction. "This is water that belongs to the people of Arizona and needs to stay in the ground in La Paz County.". The land and water use became a key part of Mayes' campaign for attorney general, and she has spent her first months in office railing against the deals and looking for ways to untangle the state from them. On Thursday, a 38-year lease at Beachcomber Resort goes up for public auction in Kingman, giving an outside bidder a chance to compete with the current owners. 2023. Some of the properties had been operating under arrangements made nearly 50 years ago. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Licensed in KS and MO - Jeremy Oehlert, Broker. Licensed in GA - James Eaton, Broker. About a week prior to Mayes' announcement, the Arizona Department of Water Resources notified Fondomonte the permits were revoked at the request of the Arizona State Land Department, which allowed a permit for land improvements to expire and prevented Fondomonte from drilling the wells. Licensed in MO - Franklin Wheeler, Broker, National Land Realty WNC, LLC DBA National Land Realty Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. It holds more than 6 million acre-feet of groundwater, strategically located near the Central Arizona Project canal. Democraticattorney general candidate Kris Mayes is calling to investigate and potentially cancel the leases the State Land Department signed with a Saudi Arabian company that is pumping fromPhoenix's backup water supply in western Arizona. Jul 6, 2013. Arizona's public schools are the primary State Trust beneficiary. The Arizona State Land Department did not respond to questions about about its permits or the impact of the expiration. The notice shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation, indicating the number of leases expiring, the county or counties where each lease is located and the location of posting the notice where additional information may be obtained. The newspaper that prints the notice may also post the notice on an internet web site that aggregates legal notices of ten or more Arizona newspapers. The department shall post notice of expiring leases by lease number, abbreviated legal description of the lease area, carrying capacity, expiration date and application information in the following locations: 2. Havasu City Manager Charlie Cassens said a large parcel of state land between the north end of Havasu development and the airport falls within city limits. BLM Arizona conducts oil and gas lease sales in accordance with federal law. Licensed in NJ - Daniel Ruggiero, Broker. E. Before acceptance of any bid for a lease under this section, the department shall establish to its satisfaction the responsibility of the bidder. CBS News obtained copies of several land leases dating back to 2014 that give Fondomonte rights to more than 6,000 acres of state-owned land and the groundwater that comes with it. Arizona State Land Department - Wikipedia Bruce Babbitt called for Gov. Hot. That was two months after The Arizona Republic revealed sweetheart land leases to Fondomonte, and other companies, that allowed it to use groundwater without oversight. Fondomonte has several other wells on the property in western Arizona, near Bouse. "We cannot afford to give our water away frankly to anyone, let alone the Saudis, for free," said Mayes. He claims his neighbors, Fondomonte, used so much water that his well went dry. Mayes is not the only candidate for top public officein Arizona calling for the leases to be terminated when contacted by The Republic. Don't Threaten. Online & Printed Maps. The decision to sell or lease the land should be based upon the potential use of each parcel. 4. Jan 28, 2015 Updated Mar 2, 2015. A.R.S. The focus we have had on Lake Havasu is huge, and we understand how important these leases are to the community, said Max Masel, state lands director of real estate. Licensed in ME - Daniel Ruggiero, Broker, NLR-Michigan LLC DBA National Land Realty Investigative reporting that holds people, companies, politicians and the government accountable through in-depth coverage of Arizona. or anything. A. It's a growing controversy that could lead to a reckoning over scarce water supplies. Locate Clear. Reach them at bbabbittaz@gmail.com and robert.lane@me.com. Masel said the department, which controls thousands of acres of undeveloped land near and within Lake Havasu City, is driven by applicants that are interested in leasing land and does not seek or market to potential buyers. April 20, 2023 / 10:39 AM In the office or offices of the county board of supervisors where the land is located. Licensed in CO - Devin Dickey, Broker. Some farms are foreign-owned and are shipping the crop to Saudi Arabia, where it's illegal to grow because it takes too much water. Licensed in IN - John S. Boyken, Jr., Broker. Lease parcels are made up of lands that have been determined to be open for leasing through BLM's land use planning process, and are either nominated or requested by the public. "It's outrageous and frankly unacceptable that the state would even consider granting new wells to allow the Saudis to pump millions of gallons of water to grow more alfalfa for their cows," Mayes said, noting the vast amount of water that could come from those new wells. The Commission recommended the creation of a permanent State . Obtain Commissioner's "approval for further processing". He said the land could be subject to future development, but that no developer has yet expressed an interest in it. This content is only available to subscribers. Subscribe for only $12 per month, With rents doubling, residents of Havasu's Beachcomber RV Park struggle with next step, As new leases take effect, some Beachcomber residents hit the exits, Loosening of Arizona's new groundwater rule already weighed, Havasu man arrested on trespassing, harassment charge, Game night to educate Havasus youth on substance use prevention. We are applicant-driven and we wont sit on land and do nothing with it we cant push demand.. We'd love to hear eyewitness / CBS News. Arizona won't explain why it paused some farming leases - azcentral.com Obtaining records which will be used for sale or resale, Obtaining names and address for purpose of solicitation, or, The sale of names and addresses for the purpose of solicitation or any other purpose in which the purchaser can reasonably anticipate monetary gain. In-depth coverage of the Valleys real estate market find out whats getting built and what areas are seeing redevelopment. Sure does seem like a good time to secure some property for a MEGA Launch Ramp ! School Facilities Board Contact information for Land Acquisition questions: . The Arizona State Land Department is located at: 1616 W. Adams St. Phoenix, AZ 85007. Licensed in TN - Scott N. Harrison, Broker, NLR-TX LLC DBA National Land Realty "In one day the amount of water pumping out of just one of those wells could serve roughly 30,000 Arizona residents, which is pretty astonishing given that the entire population of La Paz County has just over 16,000 people," she said.