Mar 10, 2021 | Blog, Recent Testimony and agency correspondence

Alliance To Testify Before House Committee & Western Water Security Act

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Alliance to Testify Thursday, March 11
We are honored to take part in the first Water, Oceans and Wildlife Subcommittee hearing to take place in the 117th Congress, tomorrow at 2:00 PM ET. Alliance Executive Director Dan Keppen will represent us. His testimony can be found here. The committee hearing is “Building Back Better: Building Resilience for the Economy, Climate, and Ecosystems,” and like most hearings these days, will take place over an online videoconference.

We appreciate Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-OR), who represents the Klamath region, for inviting the Alliance to appear before the subcommittee on which he has been appointed its Ranking Member. Our testimony highlights the ongoing challenges to the water supply impacting agriculture in the West and offers several solutions that will help maintain the nation’s food security and economic well-being of the Western landscape.

The other witnesses include:

  • Ms. Laura Ziemer, Senior Counsel and Water Policy Advisor, Trout Unlimited
  • Captain Aleksandr Modjeski, Habitat Restoration Program Director, American Littoral Society
  • Dr. Cassandra Moseley, Research Professor and Senior Policy Advisor, Ecosystem Workforce Program, University of Oregon

If you are interested in watching, you can do so through the Committee’s website, YouTube, or Facebook channels.
Reintroduction of Western Water Legislation
Rep. Boebert carries the bill in the 117th Congress
In the last several Congresses we have supported “The Western Water Security Act,” a bill focused on protecting private water rights and uphold state water law. We were happy to see freshman Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) carry the legislation in the new Congress, and Dan Keppen released this statement on the bill:

“Our farmers and ranchers rely on their vested water rights to secure operating loans, as well as irrigate crops and water livestock. Federal agencies should not be able to leverage those water rights against farming and ranching families who have long depended upon federal permits and leases to support actions like grazing.”

See the full press release from Rep. Boebert’s office at this link.

Supporters of Congresswoman Boebert’s bill include: American Farm Bureau Federation, National Water Resources Association, Archuleta County Commissioners, Arizona Farm Bureau, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, California Agricultural Irrigation Association, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Association of Conservation Districts, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Water Congress, Dolores Water Conservancy District, Family Farm Alliance, Garfield County Commissioners, Mesa County Commissioners, Montrose County Commissioners, Nevada Farm Bureau, Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, United Water Conservation District, Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District.

14 Members of Congress joined Representative Boebert in introducing her bill including: Mark Amodei (NV-02), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Ken Buck (CO-04), Ron Estes (KS-04), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Paul Gosar (AZ-O4), Yvette Herrell (NM-02), Doug LaMalfa (CA-1), Doug Lamborn (CO-5), Tom McClintock (CA-04), Blake Moore (UT-01), Dan Newhouse (WA-4), Mike Simpson (ID-02), Chris Stewart (UT-02).
We will continue to keep you informed on this and other developments impacting Western irrigated agriculture.
If you’re not a member, join us!