Feds won’t allow water for pot growers
WASHINGTON — Delivering a major blow to state-licensed pot growers in Washington state and Colorado, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said today it will not allow any federally-controlled water to be used on marijuana crops.
“As a federal agency, Reclamation is obligated to adhere to federal law in the conduct of its responsibilities to the American people,” said Dan DuBray, the agency’s chief of public affairs.
The decision could hit particularly hard in Washington state, with the federal agency controlling the water supply for two-thirds of Washington state’s irrigated land.
Growers in Colorado will be less affected because the state allows only indoor pot farms.
The ruling makes clear that the Obama administration is willing to set limits on the states’ legalization experiments, even though the Justice Department said in August that it would not block their plans to tax and sell the drug.
The agency began informing members of Congress of its decision at 11 a.m. today.
DuBray said the federal agency will conduct its operations “in a manner that is consistent with the Controlled Substances Act,” which bans marijuana.
And if the agency becomes aware of any federally-controlled water being used on marijuana crops, it will refer cases to the Department of Justice for possible prosecution, he said.
DuBray said the agency’s policy will apply to all of its locations in the 17 Western states it serves, including states that have decriminalized or authorized the cultivation of marijuana. Washington state and Colorado are the only two states that have approved marijuana for recreational use, while 21 others have laws allowing it to be used for medical purposes.
The Bureau of Reclamation had been studying the issue with the Justice Department since last month, after local officials in both Washington state and Colorado asked for a legal analysis.
Anticipating that the ruling may not go their way, Washington state officials had already been discussing other ways that growers could get water.
Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/05/20/3202880/feds-wont-allow-water-for-pot.html#storylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/05/20/3202880/feds-wont-allow-water-for-pot.html
WASHINGTON — Delivering a major blow to state-licensed pot growers in Washington state and Colorado, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said today it will not allow any federally-controlled water to be used on marijuana crops.
“As a federal agency, Reclamation is obligated to adhere to federal law in the conduct of its responsibilities to the American people,” said Dan DuBray, the agency’s chief of public affairs.
The decision could hit particularly hard in Washington state, with the federal agency controlling the water supply for two-thirds of Washington state’s irrigated land.
Growers in Colorado will be less affected because the state allows only indoor pot farms.
The ruling makes clear that the Obama administration is willing to set limits on the states’ legalization experiments, even though the Justice Department said in August that it would not block their plans to tax and sell the drug.
The agency began informing members of Congress of its decision at 11 a.m. today.
DuBray said the federal agency will conduct its operations “in a manner that is consistent with the Controlled Substances Act,” which bans marijuana.
And if the agency becomes aware of any federally-controlled water being used on marijuana crops, it will refer cases to the Department of Justice for possible prosecution, he said.
DuBray said the agency’s policy will apply to all of its locations in the 17 Western states it serves, including states that have decriminalized or authorized the cultivation of marijuana. Washington state and Colorado are the only two states that have approved marijuana for recreational use, while 21 others have laws allowing it to be used for medical purposes.
The Bureau of Reclamation had been studying the issue with the Justice Department since last month, after local officials in both Washington state and Colorado asked for a legal analysis.
Anticipating that the ruling may not go their way, Washington state officials had already been discussing other ways that growers could get water.
Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/05/20/3202880/feds-wont-allow-water-for-pot.html#storylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/05/20/3202880/feds-wont-allow-water-for-pot.html
