Senate Advances Two Barrasso Water Bills for the West

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) praised the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's unanimous passage of two important water bills, the bipartisan Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act (S. 1800) and the Bureau of Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development Equity and Jobs Act (S. 2010).

S. 1800 was introduced by Senators Barrasso and Brian Schatz (D-HI) last December to help improve aging water delivery systems and Bureau of Reclamation facilities across the country.

S. 2010 was introduced by Senator Barrasso in February and is the companion bill to Representative Steve Daines' (R-MT) bill (H.R. 1963). Their bill eliminates Washington red tape that currently prevents conduit hydropower development at eleven Bureau of Reclamation projects in the West. This bill would help pave the way for non-federal hydro-power development on all facets of these projects, including dams.

"Both of the bills that passed out of Committee today will go a long way in ensuring Wyoming and the entire inter-mountain West have a clean, abundant supply of water and electricity," said Sen. Barrasso. "With today's vote, we're now one step closer to having the information we need to update and repair our aging Bureau of Reclamation facilities. I also want to thank Representative Daines for working with me to finish the job of developing all our renewable small hydropower resources at these facilities. I look forward to the full Senate passing both of these important bills as soon as possible."

"This is common sense legislation that balances energy development with responsible stewardship of our natural resources," said Rep. Daines. "By cutting senseless barriers to hydropower development, we can help create good-paying jobs in our rural communities while also lowering energy costs for consumers. Hydropower is an important part of an all-of-the-above energy development policy that will create American jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

"The dam and reservoir facilities that are operated by the Bureau of Reclamation are of critical importance to our society," said Wyoming Water Development Commission Director Harry LaBonde. "They provide water for irrigation, municipal, and industrial uses as well as providing secondary benefits such as flood protection and recreational use. It is imperative that these water resource infrastructure systems be maintained so that they can continue to provide life sustaining benefits to future generations in this country."

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