[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 53 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORTING H.R. 5001, THE UPPER COLORADO AND SAN JUAN RIVER BASINS 
                              RECOVERY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE NEGUSE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 24, 2022

  Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5001, the 
Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Recovery Act. This bipartisan 
bill would reauthorize and extend critical endangered fish recovery 
programs in the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins in Colorado, 
New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
  The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program was first 
established in the 1980s to help bring four species of endangered fish 
back from the brink of extinction, while continuing existing water 
development and ensuring compliance with the Endangered Species Act.
  The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program was 
established in 1992, and similarly works to protect these endangered 
fish in the San Juan River sub-basin, a part of the larger Upper 
Colorado River Basin.
  These programs are unique collaborative efforts between local, state 
and Tribal officials, federal agencies, water and power interests, and 
environmental groups--all working together to recover these endangered 
species, preserve ecosystems, and maintain water development.
  These four species of fish are only found in the Colorado River 
Basin--making the work of the recovery partners crucial to their 
recovery. Both programs work collaboratively for the recovery of these 
species, and have become models for their collaborative conservation 
efforts to protect endangered species.
  Last year, one of the endangered species in the Upper Colorado River 
Basin--the humpback chub--was moved from endangered to threatened 
status due to the many years of effort from this partnership. Another 
species--the razorback sucker--was also proposed for delisting last 
summer, resulting from the actions of the recovery programs and their 
partners over the past 30 years.
  My bill would reauthorize these critical programs through 2024 and 
extend current reporting deadlines for the Recovery Programs.
  Extending the program authorization an additional year allows federal 
partners to include funding for the programs in their three-year 
budgetary planning cycle, and does not raise the cost ceiling for the 
current programs.
  The bill also provides an extension of reporting requirements for the 
recovery programs--as requested by the program partners--to account for 
challenges and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  I am glad to have the support of several of my colleagues from these 
states as cosponsors on this effort, along with the support of local 
and state officials across the Upper Colorado River Basin.
  The technical amendments my bill makes are necessary to preserve the 
functioning of these successful programs, and ensure the programs are 
able to continue to operate smoothly for an additional year.

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