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Rep. Calvert Votes for Water Bill Providing Relief for California Communities

December 8, 2016

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) voted along with a bipartisan majority (360 to 61) of the House in support of the Water Infrastructure Improvements Act for the Nation (WIIN) Act, a comprehensive water resources bill.

"Even before California began to suffer from drought conditions, I have worked with my colleagues to enact solutions that improve our state's aging water infrastructure and update the policies that have led to its inefficient operation," said Rep. Calvert. "Today, we have passed a bipartisan bill that is an important first step towards capturing, storing and using more water when it rains, rather than allowing that water to flow out to the ocean. The future of our state depends on a reliable water supply and I will continue to advocate for policies that ensure California has the water it needs."

The California drought provisions in the bill allow more water to be put to beneficial use. Specifically, the bill allows for Delta pumps to operate at higher levels while protecting fish through daily monitoring. The legislation also requires federal agencies to maximize water supplies consistent with applicable laws and biological opinions. Finally, the bill authorizes funding for critical California water storage projects, as well as desalination, water recycling, reuse and conservation projects.

The WIIN Act also contained the legislative text of Rep. Calvert's bill, the Pechanga Band of LuiseƱo Indians Water Rights Settlement Act, H.R. 5984. The bill quantifies the Band's reserved water rights in the Santa Margarita River Watershed. The legislation also authorizes necessary infrastructure to guarantee a permanent supply of water to the Band through cooperative agreements with the local water purveyors, including Rancho California Water District, Eastern Municipal Water District and Metropolitan Water District. Importantly, the legislation will provide a coordinated effort by the parties to manage the water within the basin that will bring all residents of the Pechanga Reservation a safe and dependable water supply for the future.

"The Pechanga Band of Indians, as well as all of the parties to this settlement, deserve to have some certainty on the future of their water supply. I'm grateful we have been able to enact the settlement and ensure all of the stakeholders in the Santa Margarita River Watershed can better shape their future."

The WIIN Act also included a provision supported by Rep. Calvert to allow projects that would reduce drought to compete for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans and loan guarantees. Specifically, the language expands the list of eligible WIFIA projects to include those that prevent, reduce, or mitigate the effects of drought, including projects that enhance the resilience of drought-stricken watersheds.

"Facing a drought of historic proportions, it is important we use every tool at our disposal to find new local water supplies, including through conservation. This language will let the best drought-reduction projects pursue loans and loan guarantees so we can move towards a more reliable, innovative water system throughout California and the west."

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