N.M. Congressional Democrats Urge Long-term, Permanent Solutions To Western Drought

Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) joined members of the Colorado Congressional Delegation in a letter to the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) urging the agency to prioritize funding for long-term, permanent solutions to the drought crisis in the Colorado River Basin as it allocates the $4 billion in new funding from the Inflation Reduction Act for Western drought.

"The BOR needs to direct resources towards permanent solutions on the River. In the middle of a 22-year drought with a hotter, drier future on the horizon, it is imperative for the BOR to focus efforts on a long-term strategy that includes funding opportunities for projects on both a temporary and long-term timeline. However, no matter the timeframe of a project, the BOR needs to fund efforts that provide real, meaningful long-term reductions in water use from the River," wrote the lawmakers.

In the letter, the lawmakers urge the BOR to direct resources through states, local governments, Tribes and public entities and deploy funds through competitive programs that are coordinated through state-approved or implemented programs and public entities, such as the Upper Colorado River Commission.

In addition, the lawmakers ask the BOR to employ a consistent measurement of system-wide water losses in both basins of the River. They also encourage the BOR to look at innovative methods for reducing water use basin-wide, including using new data, technology, or programs.

The lawmakers concluded, "We look forward to working with you to find solutions for the immediate crisis of the River while working towards a long-term solution to the challenges posed by a changing climate and the emergence of mega-drought in our states and throughout the American West."

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