Congressman LaMalfa and California Republican Delegation Introduces Sweeping Water Legislation

(Washington, D.C.) – At present, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) joined Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21) and your entire California Republican delegation to introduce the Working to Advance Tangible and Efficient Reforms (WATER) for California Act. This invoice focuses on operational stability, infrastructure, and accountability to carry extra water to the state.

“For too lengthy, farmers, ranchers, and municipalities have suffered from the gross mismanagement of California’s water by Washington and Sacramento. These unforced errors have led to drastic allocation cuts, fallow fields, perished livestock, tainted ingesting water, and diminished water ranges in reservoirs we depend on for fireplace suppression. To offer rapid aid as Water Yr 2023 begins, this laws overrides the man-made drought insurance policies of Democrats in Sacramento and Washington by reinstating the 2019 Organic Opinions, whereas additionally opening up extra funding for water storage. I sit up for persevering with to work with my California colleagues to prioritize our restricted water provides for farms and our folks,” stated Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01).

“For too lengthy, the Central Valley has suffered from devastating drought circumstances, unfair water allocations, and a gross mismanagement of the water we do have by Sacramento bureaucrats and environmentalists,” stated Rep. David G. Valadao (CA-21). “This invoice will carry extra water to the farmers, companies, and rural communities within the Valley and all through California, doing all the pieces potential to outlive this devastating drought. I promised my constituents that I might combat to safe a dependable and clear provide of water for our communities. This laws would just do that by streamlining operations, increasing water storage infrastructure, and growing accountability.”

“As we proceed to undergo by way of one other yr of drought, options should tackle each shifting water to our communities and storing water throughout moist years to be used throughout dry ones. That’s the reason I’m glad to affix Congressman Valadao – who has been a pacesetter on water and drought all through his tenure in Congress – on introducing the WATER for California Act,” stated Republican Chief Kevin McCarthy (CA-23). “In a state like California, entry to dependable and inexpensive water is extra urgent than ever, and I applaud his efforts to advance commonsense options to make sure our constituents get the water they contract and pay for and enhance California’s drought resiliency.”

“The important thing long-term options for California’s water challenges contain restoring regulatory sanity to our water administration regime and constructing the water storage and conveyance infrastructure needed to produce our state with dependable and inexpensive water. The WATER for California Act will assist make these options a actuality. My California colleague Rep. David Valadao continues to be a pacesetter on this essential challenge for our state,” stated Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-42).

“I’m proud to affix with fellow members of the California congressional delegation to ship improved entry to water for all Californians. This invoice supplies funding for water storage tasks throughout the state, and limits the damages that Governor Newsom and federal bureaucrats can inflict. Far too many Californians wrestle with water shortages, together with tens-of-thousands in my district alone. The provisions on this invoice will make us extra resilient towards water shortages and droughts. I’m a proud co-sponsor of this invoice, and can proceed to combat towards the misguided priorities in Sacramento that values water for fish over folks,” stated Rep. Mike Garcia (CA-25).

“Californians are all too aware of the results of water shortages worsened by bureaucratic mismanagement,” stated Rep. Michelle Metal (CA-48). “I’m proud to accomplice with Rep. Valadao on this necessary and ongoing effort to make sure that residents throughout our state have steady and dependable entry to the water they want.”

“Our water provide is important for the general public well being and security of our communities. Sadly, burdensome rules and water mismanagement are worsening water shortages already hurting our staff, households and meals provide chain because of the ongoing drought,” stated Rep. Younger Kim (CA-39). “I’m proud to affix Rep. Valadao and my California colleagues to introduce the WATER for California Act to scale back regulatory burdens hindering water entry, and I’ll do all I can to offer certainty and safe water for Californians.”

“By systematically reining in and reforming a number of damaging authorities insurance policies, this invoice will take a significant step towards ending the Central Valley water disaster and at last guaranteeing a steady water provide for our struggling households, farmers, and communities,” stated Rep. Connie Conway (CA-22).

“Droughts are nature’s fault; water shortages are our fault. Environmental extremists and overzealous bureaucrats have used the regulation to dam water storage tasks for years, leading to an period of pointless self-imposed water shortages which have devastated total communities,” stated Rep. Tom McClintock (CA-04). “This laws supplies a common sense method to restoring abundance and supply as principal aims of federal water coverage. It’s easy: Extra water is healthier than much less water.”

“I’m proud to assist Congressman Valadao’s WATER for California Act as a result of it represents the sort of bipartisan, consensus-based method that may make an enduring distinction for California’s residents and its farmers. This inventive laws will obtain higher useful resource coordination, enhanced water infrastructure, and enhance important water conveyance by way of the Delta,” stated Rep Darrel Issa (CA-50).

Background:

The great laws promotes water conveyance by way of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, per the Endangered Species Act, and advances key floor water infrastructure tasks. Amongst different provisions, the WATER for California Act:

• Requires the Central Valley Venture (CVP) and State Water Venture (SWP) be operated per the 2019 rules, which have been independently peer-reviewed and knowledgeable by probably the most correct, greatest accessible science, however permits modification underneath sure circumstances.
  • Why it issues: The 2019 Organic Opinions (BiOps) and Most well-liked Different inform corresponding long-term operations plans for the CVP and SWP. The Biden administration’s misguided try to reverse the 2019 BiOps has brought about important uncertainty for Valley farmers about their water provide.
• Helps to make sure CVP and SWP water stakeholders obtain the water they contract and pay for.
  • Why it issues: For the previous two years, South-of-Delta agricultural compensation and water service contractors have obtained zero % of their allocation from the CVP. This has resulted in excessive water loss for each agricultural producers and rural communities.
• Supplies eligibility for funding for the Shasta Enlargement Venture.
  • Why it issues: The Shasta Enlargement Venture is probably the most per acre/foot cost-effective water storage challenge in California, however the infrastructure invoice explicitly excludes any of the $1.15B allotted for storage tasks from going to the Shasta Venture.
• Reauthorizes the profitable floor water storage challenge program and coordinated operations of the CVP and SWP established by the WIIN Act.
  • Why it issues: Water storage is essential to higher making ready communities for drought circumstances. The authorities underneath the WIIN Act that introduced extra water to the Valley expired in 2021, and this invoice extends the storage challenge authorizations to 2028 and the operations provisions of the WIIN Act to 2033.

The textual content of the invoice may be discovered right here.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, together with Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.

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