House passes Gosar Amendments supporting increased water infrastucture

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) passed amendments on the House floor last week aimed at protecting and promoting water infrastructure.

The first of these amendments, the Gosar-Newhouse amendment introduced with Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), focuses on the support of water storage projects and would block any appropriations from being used for the purpose of removing any federally owned or operated dams.

“In recent years, extremist environmental groups have increased efforts to dismantle and remove federal dams," Gosar said. "These efforts defy commonsense, particularly at a time of major water challenges across the West and with an increasing need for clean, renewable hydropower. Many of these dams are essential components for flood control, strategic water storage, and life-sustaining irrigation for millions of acres of American agriculture," Gosar added. "Tens of millions of Americans rely on these dams to supply their drinking water and support their livelihoods. The vital water, energy, economic, and ecological benefits provided by federally-owned and operated dams must be protected.”

Newhouse agreed.

“Federal dams are a vital component of the water infrastructure in the West, and they play a pivotal role in water storage, irrigation, and flood control," he said. "Federal dams help ensure access to clean water supplies for many rural and agricultural communities in the West – providing critically important irrigation for countless agriculture operations and millions of acres of farmland."

The other two new Gosar amendments address the transfer of appropriations from the Department of Energy (DOE) slush fund to the Corps of Engineers Construction and Investigations budget to decrease the backlog of Army Corps of Engineers projects.

"At a time of historic drought and major water challenges, we shouldn’t be taking dollars from worthwhile Corps projects to fund bureaucrats within the mismanaged DOE," Gosar said.

The full text of Gosar's five amendments attached to the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016 can be found online at http://gosar.house.gov/press-release/house-passes-gosar-amendments-supporting-increased-water-storag....