Texas has been fighting with New Mexico over rights to the water in the Rio Grande River for years.
This week, as the Austin American-Statesman reports,the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Federal government will be allowed to intervene in the dispute. This ruling is seen as a big win for the State of Texas, as the state has long been asking the feds to intervene.
The water dispute first reared its head five years ago, when Texas ranchers complained that New Mexico was violating terms of a 1938 Congressional compact between both states and Colorado. Monday's ruling, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, was unanimous.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton praised the ruling, saying it reinforced Texas’s case against New Mexico. “New Mexico’s illegal actions have deprived Texans of this vital resource,” Paxton said, referring to the Rio Grande’s water.