The agriculture industry is pushing back against efforts in Arizona to track the amount of water being drawn from large groundwater wells in rural areas.
State water officials say getting the data would help Arizona better plan for future water use. But the agriculture industry sees bills to install meters and submit annual reports, for example, as moves toward regulation.
The Arizona Republic reports the disagreements emerged during a recent meeting of a state-appointed commission that focuses on groundwater outside big cities.
A dozen bills have been introduced in the Legislature this year to respond to falling groundwater levels in rural areas.