AZ HB2479

Changes Arizona Revised Statutes Section 45-412 to require the director shall (instead of may) designate subsequent active management areas when criteria are met.

Director must designate areas outside initial active management areas as subsequent active management areas if active management practices are necessary to preserve groundwater supply, land subsidence or fissuring endangers property, or groundwater use causes water quality degradation.

Subsequent active management areas may include multiple groundwater basins but cannot be smaller than a single basin or include only a portion of a basin, with exception for northern Arizona regional aquifer systems.

Director must periodically review all areas not included within active management areas to determine if they meet criteria for designation as active management areas.