Arizona lawmaker pleased after Bureau of Reclamation bill clears hurdle

U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ)  praised the House Natural Resources Committee for advancing the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) Transparency Act, which would help Congress prioritize repairs to the bureau’s aging infrastructure, late last week.

“This common-sense, bipartisan legislation, passed by the committee today, will ensure that a cost estimate and detailed list of major repairs for BOR facilities is disclosed to Congress so we can address the agency’s maintenance backlog, as well as ensure an abundant supply of clean water and power for future generations,” Gosar said. “American taxpayers deserve accountability from their government and oversight on how it spends their money. Letting the sunlight in on this agency is long overdue.”

The BOR is responsible for over 475 dams and dykes and 53 hydroelectric power plants, delivering water to more than 30 million people, but much of its infrastructure was built over five decades ago. Congress has requested information on repair needs, but has not received that information, spawning the bill.

“I wanted to just commend Mr. Gosar for his leadership on the Bureau of Reclamation Transparency Act,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) said. “I am pleased to be co-sponsoring it. It’s a good example of how we can work across the aisle, even in times of tough water shortages in the West, to find ways to better stretch our funding and do good for our water infrastructure."