Supporting H.R. the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Recovery Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5001, the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Recovery Act. This bipartisan bill would reauthorize and extend critical endangered fish recovery programs in the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program was first established in the 1980s to help bring four species of endangered fish back from the brink of extinction, while continuing existing water development and ensuring compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program was established in 1992, and similarly works to protect these endangered fish in the San Juan River sub-basin, a part of the larger Upper Colorado River Basin.

These programs are unique collaborative efforts between local, state and Tribal officials, federal agencies, water and power interests, and environmental groups--all working together to recover these endangered species, preserve ecosystems, and maintain water development.

These four species of fish are only found in the Colorado River Basin--making the work of the recovery partners crucial to their recovery. Both programs work collaboratively for the recovery of these species, and have become models for their collaborative conservation efforts to protect endangered species.

Last year, one of the endangered species in the Upper Colorado River Basin--the humpback chub--was moved from endangered to threatened status due to the many years of effort from this partnership. Another species--the razorback sucker--was also proposed for delisting last summer, resulting from the actions of the recovery programs and their partners over the past 30 years.

My bill would reauthorize these critical programs through 2024 and extend current reporting deadlines for the Recovery Programs.

Extending the program authorization an additional year allows federal partners to include funding for the programs in their three-year budgetary planning cycle, and does not raise the cost ceiling for the current programs.

The bill also provides an extension of reporting requirements for the recovery programs--as requested by the program partners--to account for challenges and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I am glad to have the support of several of my colleagues from these states as cosponsors on this effort, along with the support of local and state officials across the Upper Colorado River Basin.

The technical amendments my bill makes are necessary to preserve the functioning of these successful programs, and ensure the programs are able to continue to operate smoothly for an additional year.

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