The U.S. government has declared that Colorado pot growers are not allowed to use federal-owned water to grow their crops.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced Tuesday that even though marijuana is now legal in Colorado and Washington, pot growers are not allowed to access irrigated water from bureau controlled sources since marijuana is still illegal under federal law.
"Reclamation will operate its facilities and administer its water-related contracts in a manner that is consistent with the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, as amended," the bureau said in a statement obtained by NBC News.
"This includes locations where state law has decriminalized or authorized the cultivation of marijuana. Reclamation will refer any inconsistent uses of federal resources of which it becomes aware to the Department of Justice and coordinate with the proper enforcement authorities," the statement continued.
Colorado and Washington are a part of several states where the bureau provides irrigation for millions of acres of farmland, NBC News reported. The bureau also has jurisdiction over the 17 "western states," including North Dakota, Nebraska, Washington and Oregon, where it controls state dams, power plants and canals.
As a result, even though Colorado and Washington allow pot use, weed growers still cant use the government water delivered to 1.2 million acres of irrigated land in both states. Those who violate the law will be reported to the Justice Department, but it is not clear what the penalty will be.
Naomi McCulloch, a member of the Association of Cannabis Breeders and Growers, told NBC News that once again public officials are "acting against the better interests of themselves and their constituency due to a lack of critical thinking."
"The general feeling is that there are ways to get water, if one source closes, another will open," McCulloch said. "If the government throwing up obstacles to our success stopped us, we wouldn't have made it this far."
