Senate and House Unanimously Pass Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) celebrated Senate and House passage of the Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act. Their bipartisan legislation, introduced in the House by U.S. Representative John Curtis (R-Utah) and passed by voice vote last week, will provide greater support for Colorado River Basin water users and local governments working to reduce the salt load in the Colorado River. The bill now heads to the President’s desk.
“The Colorado River is a precious resource for communities in Colorado and the industries that drive our economy. As our population grows and as we face a hotter and drier future, the federal government needs to step up and support state and local leaders to better protect our water supply,” said Bennet. “I’m glad we were able to pass this bill that will support ongoing efforts to keep water from the Colorado River safe for communities, farmers and ranchers, and water users throughout the entire Basin.”
“The Colorado River is a major source of water for Wyoming residents and businesses, and reducing its salinity is key to ensuring Wyoming continues to have access to clean and usable water,” said Lummis. “I am thrilled the Senate and House passed the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Fix Act to help implement important infrastructure projects on the river to reduce salt levels.”
“The Colorado River is the lifeblood of the West, and its health is crucial for our communities, our economy, and our environment,” said Curtis. “The Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act builds on decades of collaborative efforts to reduce salinity levels, which have greatly improved water quality across the Basin. I’m grateful for the bipartisan support for this legislation and for the dedicated work of my colleagues, including Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), the seven Basin states, and all the partners who have contributed to this important step forward for water users across the West.”
Nearly 40 million people across seven states and over 30 Tribes rely on water from the Colorado River. However, naturally occurring salinity affects our ability to harness this water source for agricultural, municipal, and industrial water users. High salinity levels can reduce crop yields, limit crop growth, kill trees, and make land unsuitable for agriculture.
The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 authorized and supported salinity control projects and research across the American West, including through the Bureau of Reclamation’s Basin States Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program. These programs provide assistance to farmers, ranchers, and water users who utilize salinity control measures. The Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act would increase the federal cost-share for these salinity control programs across the Colorado River Basin.
“Over the years the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program has been successful in reducing the damages to water users caused by the high level of salts, most of which come from federally administered lands, in the Colorado River. However, damages still exceed $350 million annually. The Program is funded through appropriations and a cost-share which comes from a mill levy on power sales from federal projects within the Colorado River Basin. However, in recent years, due to prolonged drought and increased costs, the power revenues have been insufficient to provide the needed cost-share dollars. The proposed legislation, which is supported by all seven Colorado River Basin States, adjusts the cost-share percentages on portions of the Program to bring the cost-share in balance with Program needs,” said Don Barnett, Executive Director of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum.
“Colorado recognizes the importance of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program to our water users and the entire state, and supports this effort to address the imbalance between funding and cost share requirements, which is needed to sustain this important Program,” said Becky Mitchell, Colorado Commissioner to the Upper Colorado River Commission and Vice-Chair of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum.
“As a headwaters state, Colorado has always been a strong supporter of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program. This Program helps Colorado and its water users stay in compliance with Clean Water Act requirements,” said David Robbins, Colorado member of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum. “The proposed Colorado River Salinity Fix Act fixes the present imbalance between Program funding and cost share requirements, and will allow Colorado and the other Basin States to continue to maintain compliance with water quality standards.”
In addition to Bennet and Lummis, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) also sponsored this legislation.
The text of the bill is available HERE.