Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a lawsuit against Saudi Arabian agribusiness Fondomonte Arizona, LLC., alleging that their groundwater pumping at an alfalfa farm is violating public nuisance laws and endangering local communities in La Paz County. The complaint claims that the excessive pumping has depleted the Ranegras Plain Basin aquifer, causing wells to dry up and the ground to crack and sink. The lawsuit is part of Arizona’s efforts to address the impact of foreign companies using large amounts of groundwater for agriculture in the state. Fondomonte, a subsidiary of Saudi dairy giant Almarai Co., has faced criticism for its actions, with Mayes calling the pumping “unsustainable” and causing “devastating consequences” for the community. The lawsuit seeks to stop the excessive pumping and establish an abatement fund. Arizona officials have been addressing the issue for over a year, with concerns over the strain on water resources in a state facing increasing drought conditions.
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