Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup and favorably reported eight bills out of committee. Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Today our committee is advancing solutions for Americans across the country. Whether you rely on crucial Western water resources or support streamlining of permits for vital lands projects, the House Committee on Natural Resources is working to move legislative solutions forward. I'd like to thank my colleagues for their thoughtful work on these important issues and for their continued efforts as these bills move through the legislative process."

Background

H.R. 231, the Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), will reauthorize the Colorado River Basin Conservation Pilot Program through FY 2026.

H.R. 302, the Water Rights Protection Act 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), requires any actions the federal government takes impacting water rights impose no more significant restriction than those imposed by applicable state law. This bill will ensure longstanding precedents, giving states primacy over water rights determinations.

H.R. 331, introduced by U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher, will amend the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act to clarify and streamline the process for transporting water for aquifer recharge projects across federal land.

H.R. 1001, introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), will allow the Western Area Power Administration to address the impacts of the recent record of decision to allow flow experiments at Glen Canyon Dam on the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund. 

H.R 1044, introduced by U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), will authorize the renewal of a special use permit in the Sequoia National Park for the ongoing operation of a hydroelectric project and ensure continued reliable and affordable power for those the project serves. 

H.R. 1110, introduced by U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), will direct the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to expand the use of proactive, targeted grazing in fuels management programs to lower wildfire risk. An identical provision was included in the House-passed “Fix Our Forests Act.”

H.R. 249, introduced by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), will rename two sites in the Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park to honor the late Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. of New Jersey.

H.R. 618, the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Stephen Horsford (D-Nev.), will amend the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act of 1989 to streamline the permitting process for the site and further incentivize growth and development in Clark County, Nev.