[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 188 (Thursday, November 16, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1587]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION AND BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS 
                 WATER PROJECT STREAMLINING ACT OF 2017

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                           HON. DAN NEWHOUSE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 16, 2017

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce my legislation, 
the Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Indian Affairs Water Project 
Streamlining Act. As my constituents know all too well, communities 
across the western United States are often faced with the detrimental 
impacts of droughts and water shortages. In states where the Bureau of 
Reclamation (BOR) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) hold jurisdiction 
for the development of water projects, communities are left waiting due 
to a lack of a streamlined process. These communities need BOR and BIA 
to accelerate studies and provide more accountability in the agencies' 
processes to study the feasibility of new or expanded surface water 
storage, water recycling, and rural and Title XVI water projects. This 
legislation will streamline BOR and BIA's environmental planning and 
study process for these water projects and ensure that communities in 
the West can address the critical need for water supplies that continue 
to grow with demand.
  In order to meet existing human and environmental needs, we must 
update current water supply infrastructure. This legislation applies 
the same streamlined water project development process used by the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, which was established under the ``Water 
Resources Reform Development Act of 2014,'' to BOR and BIA's processes 
for surface water, storage, infrastructure, and recycling project 
development. This legislation will improve both water storage and 
conservation infrastructure, as well as the reliability of our vital 
water supply for communities across the nation. A dependable supply of 
water is an indispensable resource in the West--from farming and 
ranching, to recreation and municipal uses, to manufacturing and 
wildfire response needs, this resource truly is vital. Conducted in 
concert with improving stream flows, protecting headwater areas, 
rebuilding fish runs, and boosting continued conservation efforts, this 
streamlining effort will provide great relief for my constituents and 
constituents across the western United States.
  In addition, the legislation authorizes several key water development 
projects across the West, including projects in California, Kansas, 
Montana, as well as my home state of Washington. One of these is the 
third phase of a vital effort in my District in Central Washington, the 
Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project. The Yakima River Basin is 
one of the leading agricultural regions in Washington State and 
throughout the country. However, the demand for water in the region 
currently exceeds the resources available, especially during times of 
drought, which have hit the state especially hard in the past few 
years. After years of tough negotiations, the Yakima River Basin Plan 
is a model of collaboration that offers a solution to give water users 
more certainty, while also recognizing the concerns of conservationists 
and the various stakeholders in the Yakima Basin. The authorization of 
this project is vital for my District, just as water projects are in 
states across the West. This legislation will allow the next major step 
to addressing our water crisis to become a reality.
  This commonsense bill reforms the current cumbersome and lengthy 
process so that there is a mechanism to build new water and 
infrastructure projects in Central Washington and across the west. I 
welcome all members to join me in supporting this legislation, and I 
urge its swift passage through the U.S. House of Representatives and 
U.S. Senate.

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