groundwater withdrawal fee; Pinal AMA

SB 1447 establishes annual groundwater withdrawal fees in Arizona's Pinal Active Management Area (AMA), directly affecting groundwater users who withdraw water for irrigation or other purposes. The bill creates a $2.50 per acre-foot fee for groundwater and irrigation efficiency projects in Pinal from 2020 through 2030 (replacing a prior water banking fee), with the collected funds dedicated to a new "temporary groundwater and irrigation efficiency projects fund." This fund finances well construction and infrastructure rehabilitation for qualified irrigation districts in Pinal, specifically targeting efficient water delivery systems. The bill also clarifies fee exemptions for small-scale irrigation users (under 10 acres) and prohibits fees for certain non-irrigation uses by groundwater replenishment districts.