[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 29, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION SURFACE WATER STORAGE 
                        STREAMLINING ACT OF 2015

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                           HON. DAN NEWHOUSE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 29, 2015

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce my legislation, 
the Bureau of Reclamation Surface Water Storage Streamlining Act of 
2015. This important and desperately needed legislation would 
streamline the Bureau of Reclamation's environmental planning and study 
process for new surface water storage projects. It would accomplish 
this by applying the same streamlined water project development process 
used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Water Resources 
Reform Development Act of 2014 to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, in 
order to facilitate the construction of new dams and reservoirs.
  Water is the lifeblood of communities in the arid West and the 
current water shortage crisis devastating much of the Western United 
States highlights the critical need for water supply to grow with 
demand. A streamlined process for new water storage projects is vital 
to prepare effectively for drought and to provide adequate water 
resources for future development. This bill allows forward-thinking 
improvements to the Bureau of Reclamation's permitting process to 
create new opportunities for water storage. Put simply, this 
legislation will reform the current cumbersome and lengthy process so 
that there is a mechanism to build new surface water storage projects 
in the West.
  I urge all members to join me in supporting this legislation and I 
urge its swift passage.

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