Committee Advances Western Water Funding

Western farm groups are welcoming progress on a Senate bill that would provide $8.3 billion in new funding for Western water projects.

The funding is included in an energy infrastructure measure that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee recently approved 13-7.

The committee’s top Republican, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, faulted the bill for not reauthorizing some expiring water programs, but he withdrew an amendment after committee Chairman Joe Manchin agreed to work with him on a separate measure.

Dan Keppen, Executive Director of the Family Farm Alliance, called the committee’s bill a “balanced infrastructure package that includes resources for critical Western water supply needs.” The alliance represents more than 220 organizations from 15 states.

The bill includes $3.2 billion for aging infrastructure and $1.15 billion for water storage and conveyance.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

Your AIR editor has some experience with lobbying congress regarding western water projects where funding is often debated but seldom acted on by congress. In a year of expanding and severe drought in the western U.S., many are hoping that this additional funding will become available by the end of this year.

Water has been a political issue in the west for over a hundred years. There is an old saying that in the west, “whiskey is for drinkin and water is for fightin over”. Water, as a political issue, was first illuminated and acted upon in the 1930’s during the conservation corps era. Since then, changes have been slow in coming. Improvements are badly needed and any additional funding would be helpful, especially if agriculture has priority access to the water. The latter point is an entirely different conversation for a different time…to be continued!