Unlocking Rural America's Potential

Floor Speech

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Mr. VALADAO. I appreciate the opportunity. Mr. Newhouse has done an amazing job leading the Western Caucus and fighting for the things that affect some of us across the country.

You just heard of one of our colleagues from all the way on the East Coast talk about some of the issues. It always amazes me that our issues are so aligned.

But specifically today I am going to talk a little bit about water. So in communities like the Central Valley, Federal permitting requirements, coupled with the State's strict environmental regulations make it harder for our communities to get the water they so desperately need.

Increasing water storage capacity is critical to ensuring a reliable water supply for our valley farmers that feed the country. Unfortunately, our broken permitting process prevents many of these critical water infrastructure projects from ever getting off the ground.

We need to fix complex and contradictory laws, court decisions, and regulations at the State and Federal levels that hinder our water storage infrastructure.

Layers of unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape in permitting decisions have blocked much of the needed progress on a long list of projects, from water storage, to energy production, to highways.

The government red tape in permitting is not only affecting water storage, it is also having a devastating effect on our Nation's energy supply.

There is a backlog of over 4,600 permits to drill pending under the Biden administration, and even though Federal law requires approval of the permits on Federal lands within 30 days, permits often languish at the Department of the Interior for a year or more.

This government red tape is hurting families in the Central Valley and across the country in the form of higher gas prices. It is time for the government bureaucracy to get out of the way so we can once again become energy independent.

There is no reason that streamlining the Federal permitting process should be a controversial issue. Rural communities like the one I represent are tired of burdensome government regulations holding them back. Greater efficiency in the Federal permitting process is critical for getting water to those in the Central Valley that need it most.

And as we saw, from other colleagues that spoke before us, this isn't just a California issue. And I know that the chairman here, Mr. Newhouse and I, our districts are a lot alike. We both grow a lot of different commodities, and we are proud of our districts. But we both need something that makes it all possible, and that is water and energy.

I thank the gentleman for his leadership on these important issues and thank him for giving me the opportunity.

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