Bill Summary
The Colorado River Drought Response Act is a law that aims to address the current drought situation in the Colorado River system. It authorizes $500 million to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior for the next four fiscal years to reduce the risk of critically low water levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell. This act also amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to expedite measures for drought response. Specifically, it sets a deadline of August 31, 2022 for the implementation of a program and the establishment of a program to address the drought.
Possible Impacts
1. The Act may affect people who live in states that rely on the Colorado River for water supply by providing funding for measures to reduce the likelihood of critical water shortages.
2. The expedited implementation of programs in response to the drought may impact people who use or work in industries that use water from the Colorado River, such as agriculture or manufacturing.
3. People who are involved in the management or conservation of the Colorado River may be affected by changes to legal authorities and timelines for implementing drought response measures.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8435 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8435
To provide for near-term actions to preserve the Colorado River system
and to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to expedite
measures for drought response.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2022
Mr. Stanton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for near-term actions to preserve the Colorado River system
and to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to expedite
measures for drought response.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Colorado River Drought Response
Act''.
SEC. 2. NEAR-TERM ACTIONS TO PRESERVE COLORADO RIVER SYSTEM.
In addition to the amounts otherwise available and consistent with
contractual arrangements and applicable State and Federal law, there is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior
$500,000,000, for the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2026, to use
available legal authorities to reduce the near-term likelihood of Lake
Mead and Lake Powell declining to critically low water elevations.
SEC. 3. EXPEDITED MEASURES FOR DROUGHT RESPONSE.
(a) Expedited Program Implementation.--Section 40905(h) of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 3205(h); 135 Stat.
1124) is amended by striking ``Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``Not later than August 31,
2022''.
(b) Establishment of Program.--Section 40907(b) of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 3207(b); 135 Stat.
1125) is amended by striking ``Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``Not later than August 31,
2022''.
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