Today, the House passed H.R. 23 (Rep. David Valadao, R-CA), the “Gaining Responsibility on Water Act” or “GROW Act.” The bill addresses underlying federal policy, regulatory and administrative failures that have contributed to the mismanagement of water supplies across the West.  

“Dogmatic paradigms and failed federal policies that promote water indigence must end,” Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) stated. “This bill reforms a broken regulatory system that misallocates critical water resources and exacerbates drought conditions for farmers, families and communities across the West. Building upon the passage of the bipartisan WIIN Act, the GROW Act fosters water abundance and storage, security and reliability.”

“Today, we take another major step forward to bring our communities the water they contract and pay for by increasing pumping and speeding up the process to approve new water projects. Water is a necessity, and with it California and the entire west will have a brighter future,” Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said. 

Background

H.R.. 23 is comprised of seven titles that provide solutions to expand water storage, improve infrastructure, protect privately-held water rights, and create more abundant and reliable water resources to benefit both communities and the environment.

The bill builds upon the “Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act” or WIIN Act passed last Congress which included provisions from the House Committee on Natural Resources to bring drought relief for California and the West by expanding water storage and delivery.