CONGRESSMAN GRAY INTRODUCES VALLEY WATER PROTECTION ACT
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Adam Gray (D-Merced) introduced a bill today that would ensure Central Valley farmers and producers receive reliable water deliveries to support their operations. The Valley Water Protection Act would amend the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to protect impacted farmers from national security threats or regional economic harm related to ESA listing enforcement activity. Congressman Jim Costa (D-Fresno) joined Congressman Gray to co-lead the bill.
“Valley farmers and producers are the backbone of our community’s economy but increasingly have to worry about whether they will have reliable access to the water necessary to continue their production,” said Congressman Gray. “For years, greedy state and federal bureaucrats have attempted to rob the Valley of its water in favor of San Francisco and Los Angeles elites, jeopardizing the agricultural production that funds our state and feeds the country. By introducing the Valley Water Protection Act, I’m sending those who would dry out the Valley a clear message: the tap is turned off.”
Support for the Valley Water Protection Act
“While TID continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving ecosystems and the environment, it is critical that the potential significant economic impacts of Endangered Species Act regulation are understood and considered,” said Brad Koehn, General Manager of Turlock Irrigation District. “We appreciate Congressman Gray for introducing this bill, which recognizes that improving conditions for species does not need to come at the expense of water security, reliable power, and economic prosperity for our communities and will restore much needed balance to ESA implementation.”
“I appreciate Congressman Gray’s efforts to address bureaucratic overreach that threatens our community’s access to water,” said Director Stephanie Dietz of the Merced Irrigation District. “Protecting endangered species and ensuring water access for our users are not mutually exclusive—we can and must do both. This bill is a step toward bringing the Endangered Species Act into the 21st century with sensible environmental policy reform. I’m grateful to Congressman Gray for his leadership on this important issue.”
“The Endangered Species Act is long overdue for an overhaul and we applaud Representative Gray for introducing this bill that would take an important step toward that goal,” said Jimi Netniss, General Manager of Modesto Irrigation District. “The time is now for all stakeholders to obtain relief from the application of the ESA that results in significant adverse impacts to our communities and regional economies. This bill will begin to rein in some of the overreach, and I urge its enactment by Congress.”
“Implementation of the Endangered Species Act in California’s water management, while well intentioned, is no longer aligned with the impacts of the Central Valley Project on species of concern,” said Federico Barajas, Executive Director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. “CVP facilities, like Shasta Reservoir and Jones Pumping Plant, are being required to primarily operate to mitigate species impacts beyond the impacts of the CVP facilities themselves, to the detriment of the communities, farms and ecosystems south of the Delta that are reliant on the water provided by the CVP. Congressman Gray’s legislation provides an opportunity to address this by opening a pathway for a review, under provisions in the current Endangered Species Act, of economic or national security impacts of ESA requirements. This may lead to striking a more appropriate balance between our nation’s security and protection of our nation’s species, and we applaud his introduction of this legislation.”
“The Friant Water Authority applauds Rep. Adam Gray for introducing his bill to help modernize the implementation of the Endangered Species Act by allowing for the consideration of economic impacts of federal actions under the ESA,” said Johnny Amaral, COO of the Friant Water Authority. “Coupled with House Natural Resource Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman’s legislation, the much-needed bipartisan emphasis and support for sensible reform will go a long way towards making the ESA work better for both species and rural agricultural communities.”
Background
The Valley Water Protection Act would amend the Endangered Species Act to protect against national security threats and/or regional economic harm.
Specifically, this bill would allow access to the exemption process where a reasonable and prudent alternative or modification to a proposed agency action may impair national security or regional economic impacts. This would allow a permit application to apply for an exemption and prompt the Secretary of Interior to report to the Endangered Species Act Committee what impairment of national security or economic impacts would result before the Committee makes a decision on the exemption application.
Read the full text of the bill here.