黑料福利社

It's too late for new reservoirs to make a difference for this summer's water shortages, but first-term Congressman Dan Newhouse is pushing a bill aimed at encouraging the federal government to pick up the pace on planning new water storage projects.

"I've been part of the agriculture community for a long time in the 黑料福利社 and there's been a lot of effort in my lifetime to look at additional storage options," Newhouse said.

But until the recent development of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan, he said, most of the proposed solutions had stalled in the planning process. The plan has the support of a wide range of interests, including tribal officials, farmers and irrigation companies.

With drought conditions in the Yakima Basin and across the West, Newhouse said he's optimistic that other lawmakers will support his proposal to streamline the often-lengthy review process that the federal Bureau of Reclamation is required to undergo.

"This year, a lot of people are thinking, 'Gosh, I wish we'd done some of this in the past,'" he said. "It's not to sell short the environmental or feasibility review process, but just to put a limit on that so we can either move forward with a project or say no and move on to a different solution."

The bill, which targets only water supply projects planned by the Bureau of Reclamation, would limit the feasibility study to three years and $3 million. Extensions would be available if they can be justified.

Newhouse said the provisions are similar to those in a water infrastructure bill targeting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that Congress passed with broad bipartisan support last year.

Known as the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, it also authorized $12.3 billion worth of specific projects, including deepening harbors and improving flood control.

Newhouse's bill focuses solely on making the review process more efficient and accountable, not on authorizing specific projects.

If passed, the bill would not speed up the process for reservoirs that are already in the works. That means it likely will have little impact on the new reservoirs proposed for the Yakima Canyon and Bumping Lake under the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan.

"Even though this doesn't directly benefit the current effort, it certainly will help future efforts and potential new projects considered in the future in the Yakima Basin," Newhouse said.

Co-sponsors include Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif,, Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Tom McClintock, R-Calif. Newhouse said he expects the bill to gain support with Western lawmakers from both parties.

"Water is a precious resource," he said. "This focuses on potential solutions that we are going to need very soon."