Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a legislative hearing on three proposals aimed at jumpstarting surface water storage development through the western United States.
“In my central Washington state district, the Yakima Valley is a poster child for needing new surface storage. Conservation plays an important part of meeting water needs in the Valley,… Read more »
This week the House will consider H.R. 3964, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act, introduced by the Republican California delegation, addresses the emergency drought in California by restoring some water supplies San Joaquin Valley Farmers.
The lack of rainfall has exacerbated the man-made drought caused by federal regulations and environmental lawsuits. On January 17, 2014, California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for California due to the drought.
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement on the U.S. Entity’s final recommendation to the U.S. State Department regarding modifications to the Columbia River Treaty:
“While I continue to have concerns about aspects of the recommendation related to ecosystem issues, I’m pleased that the U.S. Entity made significant improvements in… Read more »
Reporting H.R. 3189 Out of Committee (Passed 19-14. View Roll Call Vote)
This bipartisan bill would protect private property rights from recent federal overreach that threatens to take water supplies from recreation businesses, ranchers, cities and towns, and local conservation efforts.
Tipton Amendment 036 (Approved by Voice Vote)
This amendment would make technical corrections and… Read more »
Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held an oversight hearing on “A Roadmap for Increasing our Water and Hydropower Supplies: The Need for New or Expanded Multi-Purpose Surface Storage Facilities.” This hearing examined the growing need for and the multiple-use benefits of increased water storage and ways to expedite the construction of such… Read more »
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today sent letters to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz regarding unfulfilled oversight requests from the House Natural Resources Committee on the National Blueways program and former Secretary Chu’s Memorandum to the Power Market Administrations. In addition to reiterating requests… Read more »
Dear Secretary Jewell:
This letter follows up on prior communications, including June 28, 2013 and July 29, 2013 letters requesting 15 categories of documents and information, about the Department of the Interior's ("Department") Secretarial Order 3321 ("Order").
This Order established the "National Blueways System," a "headwaters to mouth approach to river management." This information… Read more »
Dear Secretary Moniz:
The Committee on Natural Resources ("Committee") has been conducting oversight and investigatory activities regarding your predecessor's March 16, 2012 "Memorandum for the Federal Power Marketing Administrators." For nearly a year, the Committee has repeatedly sought communications and documents from the Department in order to shed light on the decision-making… Read more »
