Rep. Calvert Votes for California Water Solutions

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) voted along with a majority (230 to 190) of the House of Representatives to approve H.R. 23, the GROW Act. The bill contains a number of provisions aimed at improving California's water reliability.

"The GROW Act builds upon the bipartisan water bill signed into law last year by providing even more long-term water solutions for California," said Rep. Calvert. "Specifically, it expedites the consideration of feasibility studies for water storage projects that have languished for periods of time that are longer than it took to actually build the Hoover Dam. The GROW Act also includes provisions that are critical to Bay Delta operations and help improve water reliability. California can become drought proof if we build the storage and conveyance infrastructure necessary to collect and move the water we receive in wet years, so that we can utilize it during dry years. I'm a cosponsor of the GROW Act because it moves us closer in that direction."

The Gaining Responsibility on Water (GROW) Act Summary:

• Bay-Delta Improvements: Restores water deliveries to the Central Valley communities by codifying the Bay-Delta Accord. Affirms that if the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project are operated consistent with the Bay-Delta Accord, then they are in compliance with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act.

• Water Reliability: Updates the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) to ensure water resources are reliable, predictable, and available to fulfill supply promises.

• Expanding Infrastructure: Enacts "one-stop-shop" permitting reforms aimed at building infrastructure to capture more water.

• Expanding Storage: Requires the federal government to expedite and complete consideration of feasibility studies for water storage projects that have been languishing in bureaucratic purgatory for over ten years.

• Water Rights Protection: Prevents federal agencies from requiring certain entities to relinquish their water rights to the United States in order to use public lands.

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