Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a supplemental brief in Arizona’s ongoing lawsuit against Fondomonte Arizona, LLC. The legal action claims that the company’s groundwater pumping in La Paz County violates state public nuisance laws. Mayes stated, “We’re not backing down. I was born and raised in rural Arizona and I know how important our groundwater is. And I don’t believe it should be sucked out from under the people of La Paz County to be sent to Saudi Arabia as alfalfa.” She added, “The Ranegras AMA is great step forward—but nuisance law still allows us to hold those causing a nuisance accountable sooner and conserve our groundwater earlier.”
Mayes originally sued Fondomonte in December 2024, alleging that excessive water use threatened public health and local infrastructure. On January 9, 2026, the Director of the Department of Water Resources designated the Ranegras Plain Groundwater Basin as an Active Management Area (AMA), which sets new conservation requirements.
The Attorney General’s latest filing argues that while the AMA introduces basinwide conservation programs, only a court can grant specific relief for alleged harms caused by Fondomonte. The brief notes that the AMA cannot address harm by a single entity or provide remedies such as injunctive relief or abatement funds.
“Public nuisance and active management areas are complementary,” said Attorney General Mayes. “Take the Riverview settlement as one example. We were able to get a major water user to the table related to a public nuisance investigation to save a significant amount of groundwater before the Douglas and Willcox AMAs go into effect.”
The supplemental brief also references findings by ADWR supporting allegations in Mayes’ complaint: groundwater levels have declined significantly in recent years with more than 40 centimeters of land subsidence observed over 15 years, risking permanent damage if unaddressed.
Additionally, if Fondomonte is found liable for unlawfully pumping water through public nuisance violations, it may lose eligibility for grandfathered rights under AMA rules.
Kris Mayes serves as Arizona’s 27th attorney general—the first mother in this position—overseeing statewide legal services based out of Phoenix (official website). The Attorney General’s Office acts as Arizona’s main legal authority responsible for advocacy, consumer protection, civil rights support, elder abuse prevention, and federal accountability actions (official website).
A copy of the supplemental brief can be accessed online.
