Arizona's new 29-member Water Augmentation Council is already drawing criticism.
The Arizona Daily Star reports that critics say Gov. Doug Ducey appointed council members that are too business-friendly.
The group was named last Wednesday and is expected to help the state cope with drought. It includes representatives from the Arizona Cattlemen's Association, the Agribusiness Council and Freeport McMoRan Inc., but environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Audubon Society are left out.
State officials say they've chosen members who know the most about water issues and would be most affected by water policy changes.
But environmentalists say the selections leave out crucial voices, including those from low income and minority communities that would bear much of the cost for new water projects.
