Costa, Newhouse Lead Bipartisan Letter to Urge Inclusion of Water Infrastructure in House Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Jim Costa (D-CA) led a bipartisan letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to urge inclusion of much-needed water infrastructure provisions in any forthcoming infrastructure package. The letter was signed by 54 Members of Congress.

"Water infrastructure in the Central San Joaquin Valley has simply not kept pace with California's growing population and changing climate," said Rep. Costa. "Our water systems were constructed in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. That's why our levees and flood control systems were recently given a D rating by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Add that's why we have local communities without clean drinking water. It's unacceptable! We must develop and invest in water infrastructure so our farmers can continue to feed Americans, and so all our community members have access to clean, reliable drinking water."

"The people of Central Washington, and across the country, rely on stable water infrastructure," said Rep. Newhouse. "Severe droughts have threatened water delivery, farm and ranching production, and our rural way of life. As we debate a comprehensive infrastructure package, we must make investments in water storage, conservation, and delivery systems to ensure our constituents have a reliable water supply for generations to come."

Full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves,

We write to express our support and our willingness to work with you to ensure the inclusion of much-needed water infrastructure provisions in any forthcoming infrastructure package. As the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee considers a comprehensive package, it is vital that water infrastructure be included to address our nation's most severe hydrological challenges. Rightfully so, Americans across the country demand a safe and reliable water supply. In recent years, this is especially true for the western United States, where severe drought continues to threaten water delivery, farm and ranching production, and the American way of life.

Over the last decade, even with above-average precipitation in several regions across the United States, we continue to see drought conditions. Because of this, we ask that any infrastructure package continue the bipartisan successes of legislation signed into law earlier this year. S. 47, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act included authorizations for federal water projects and provisions for the management and conservation of our nation's natural resources, including water. We hope, based on the water needs assessed in the western United States and across the nation, the Committee will build upon bipartisan support for tackling these challenges and include water storage and water conservation projects in any final bill.

In addition to the vital need for storage and conservation projects, we must also develop and invest in our water delivery systems. For farmers and ranchers, water is essential to their livelihood and ensures that all Americans have an affordable, safe, and reliable food supply. With the increase in demand for a robust and diverse food supply, and without reliable water to provide for our farmers and ranchers, there is no guarantee that American consumers can continue to receive the same high-quality and safe products they need to provide for their families.

A comprehensive package must also include policies and processes to streamline the ability of our communities to move forward with the construction or implementation of these water delivery systems in an expeditious manner. Rather than allowing the status quo to continue to hamstring water infrastructure rehabilitation and development, equipping water providers with the tools to efficiently address water shortages will provide important and desperately-needed services for our constituents. By streamlining outdated, burdensome processes, we can also ensure federal taxpayer dollars are being invested efficiently while adeptly tackling the severe water challenges facing communities across the country.

Over the span of the past several decades, our country's water infrastructure has fallen deeply behind due to the lack of federal investments. We must deliver on this shortfall by answering the needs of our constituents. With investments in our water infrastructure, we can ensure that our constituents have a long-term and reliable water supply for generations to come. As the Committee considers a comprehensive infrastructure package, we stand ready to work with you to ensure our nation's water needs are addressed in this important effort.

Sincerely,

The letter, which was also sent to the House Natural Resources Committee, was signed by Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Jim Costa (D-CA), TJ Cox (D-CA), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Sanford D. Bishop (D-GA), David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), Josh Harder (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ), Greg Gianforte (R-MT), Ron Kind (D-WI), Scott Tipton (R-CO), Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Collin C. Peterson (D-MN), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (R-AZ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Kim Schrier, M.D. (R-WA), Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Ken Buck (R-CO), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), David N. Cicilline (D-RI), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Mark Amodei (R-NV), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Michael K. Simpson (R-ID), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), John H. Rutherford (R-FL), Tom Cole (R-OK), Chris Stewart (R-UT), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Don Bacon (R-NE), Greg Walden (R-OR), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), and Brian Mast (R-FL).

This letter is supported by the following organizations: National: American Farm Bureau Federation, Bipartisan Policy Center, National Water Resources Association, Family Farm Alliance, Western Growers Association, Midwest Assistance Program; Washington: Columbia Basin Development League, East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Kennewick Irrigation District, Kittitas Reclamation District, South Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District, Washington State Farm Bureau, Washington State Potato Commission, Washington State Water Resources Association; California: California Farm Bureau Federation, Central Valley Project Water Association, City of Folsom, Friant Water Authority, Imperial Irrigation District, Kings River Conservation District, Northern California Water Association; Orange Cove Irrigation District, San Juan Water District, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority, Turlock Irrigation District, Valley Center Municipal Water District; Arizona: Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona; Colorado: Colorado River Water Conservation District, Dolores Water Conservancy District, Southwestern Water Conservation District; Idaho: Idaho Water Resource Board, Idaho Water Users Association; Montana: Central Montana Regional Water Authority, Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority of Montana, St. Mary's Working Group, Milk River Irrigation Project Joint Water Resource Board, Montana League of Cities and Towns, Montana Rural Water Systems, Montana Section of the American Water Works Association; Nevada: Truckee-Carson Irrigation District; New Mexico: Elephant Butte Irrigation District; North Dakota: Devils Lake Basin Joint Water Resource Board, Garrison Diversion, North Dakota Water Users Association; Oregon: Klamath Water Users Association, Oregon Water Resources Congress.