Congress Should Focus on Resolving U.S. Water Supply Issues
Press Release
A Congressional hearing on drought and water supply issues in the Southeastern United States focused primarily on one region's problems and not enough on finding solutions to the supply issues for the national as a whole U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) said.
At today's hearing, Boozman, the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Republican, expressed hope that future hearings will focus on possible solutions to the problem in the Southeast and better watershed management and planning in regions throughout the nation to avoid similar problems in the future.
"Today we held a Subcommittee hearing that focused on the contentious water supply issues that are affecting the citizens of Alabama, Georgia and Florida," Boozman said. "We need to recognize that the problems in the specific watersheds discussed today are merely examples of the issues that will become prevalent nationwide if we don't begin to address the need for long-term water management."
The governors of Alabama, Georgia and Florida have yet to reach a solution to the region's water supply issues.
"Wisely, the three governors respectfully declined to participate today, which leaves me some hope that they are interested in keeping down the rhetoric and working together to find a way to share the water," Boozman said.
Boozman encourages the Subcommittee to see how federal agencies can help states and regions wanting to address water supply needs.
"Policy makers can no longer ignore this issue. We need to start planning for the future and help start that planning process by looking at our nation's available water supply and the projected demand for water," Boozman said.
Boozman says one way to accomplish that is to favorably report H.R. 135, the 21st Century Water Commission Act, proposed by Rep. John Linder (R-GA).
"We have passed this legislation in overwhelming fashion in each of the last two Congresses and we should do so again in the 110th Congress," Boozman said.
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