House Passes Boebert Western Water Shortage Amendments

Today, two of Congresswoman Boebert's Western water shortage amendments passed the House as part of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. These amendments redirect $5 million in funding to the Colorado River Storage Project to help address the severe water shortage in the West and also to increase water storage through improvements through the Colorado River Dam Fund.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) said, “The West is in the midst of a serious water crisis that can no longer be overlooked. Lower Basin States, including California and Nevada, have consistently breached the century-old Colorado River Compact, which established water allotments for each basin. As a consequence of their excessive use, Colorado and other basin states are in need of expanded water storage. My amendments reallocate funds to increase water storage through the Colorado River Dam Fund and also direct funding to the Colorado River Storage Project to address severe water shortages in the West.”

Background:

Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4394, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

Congresswoman Boebert played a key role in implementing measures to curtail government overreach and safeguard state water rights. This significant bill ends the Biden Administration's Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, restoring control of historically non-federal waterways to the states and protecting ranchers, farmers, and municipal water supplies from federal seizure in the process.  

In the 118th Congress, Congresswoman Boebert has been an extremely effective legislator, focusing on the needs of Colorado’s Third Congressional District and delivering numerous legislative victories. Specifically, three of the Congresswoman’s bills and 44 of her amendments have passed the House. She has also passed seven bills through the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Committee on Administration. In addition, the Congresswoman has secured $19.7 million for important water and infrastructure projects in the Third District through Community Project Funding requests included in  House Appropriations bills.

Congresswoman Boebert successfully passed two amendments through the House of Representatives to H.R. 4394. These amendments include:

Boebert Amendment No. 10 - Transfers $1 million from DOE’s Departmental Administration Account to the Upper Colorado River Basin Development Fund for Colorado River Dam Fund to increase water storage.

This amendment is of significant importance as it directs $1 million from the DOE's budget to reinforce water storage in the Upper Colorado River Basin. By providing crucial support to the Colorado River Dam Fund, this amendment helps address the pressing need for increased water storage. The Wayne N. Aspinall Unit in Colorado (Blue Mesa, Crystal, and Morrow Point Dams) could benefit from this amendment.

Boebert Amendment No. 11 - Transfers $4 million dollars from DOE’s Departmental Administration Account to the Colorado River Storage Project to help combat water shortages in the West.

This amendment strengthens our capacity to mitigate the effects of the current Western water shortages, ultimately maintaining a more stable and sustainable water supply for the region.

Addition Background Information courtesy of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies:

The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies bill provides $57.958 billion in discretionary spending, which is $1.963 billion below the FY24 President’s Budget Request. This bill aims to strengthen our national and energy security as well as cut wasteful government spending.             

Supports a strong national security by:

1. Providing $19.114 billion for the modernization of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure.
2. Providing $1.946 billion for Naval Reactors to support the operational nuclear fleet.
3. Providing $2.38 billion for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation to reduce the danger of hostile nations or terrorist groups acquiring nuclear devices, radiological dispersal devices, weapons-usable material, and nuclear expertise.

Supports energy security by:

1. Supporting domestic uranium enrichment capabilities, including high-assay low- enriched uranium (HALEU) availability, which is essential to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign uranium sources to power current and future commercial nuclear reactors.
2. Prohibiting oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to be sold to any entity owned by or under the control or influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or to any other entity that intends to export to China.
3. Providing more than $200 million for the production of critical minerals.

It reins in wasteful Washington spending by:

1. Rescinding $5.58 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act.
2. Eliminating funding for unrelated climate change activities in the Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, including electric vehicle procurement and “climate cops” across the Corps.
3. Cutting more than $180 million for the Justice40 Initiative and prohibiting funds from being used to implement the initiative at the Department of Energy.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert supported numerous appropriations requests that were included in the base bill. Read the full letter from Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairmen Chuck Fleischmann listing those priorities HERE.