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(Washington D.C.)- Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk), Chair of the House Water and Power Subcommittee, conducted an oversight hearing today on the Bush Administration’s FY 2008 Budget requests for the Bureau of Reclamation, the Southeastern Power Administration; the Southwest Power Administration; the Western Area Power Administration, the Bonneville Power Administration; and the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey.
“I am extremely disappointed with the President’s request, which provides insufficient funds to many important water projects and seems to be frozen in time, adapting very little to the changing water needs of the 21st century,” stated Congresswoman Napolitano.
The Fiscal Year 2008 request for Water and Related Resources totals $816,197,000, a decrease of more than $17 million from the FY2007 requested level, at a time when water is already in very high demand and a drought cycle looms nationwide. The Administration also cut out more than half of all funded Title 16 water recycling projects, allocating $10.1 million in the FY08 budget request, a decrease of over $16 million from levels in the FY 2006 appropriation.
“The Administration is continuing its open warfare on the Title 16 water recycling projects by slashing the budget request for this popular and sensible program and effectively phasing it out. Twelve individual Title 16 projects receive no funding in the budget request. Without Federal assistance, some communities in the West probably will abandon their plans for water recycling. This makes no sense when communities all over the western United States are desperately looking for help to stretch their water supplies,” commented Napolitano.
The FY08 request includes $11 million for the Administration’s Water 2025 program, though Congress has never given the Bureau authority to carry out this program.
“It is hypocritical of the Administration to expand funding for their water planning project while continuing to phase out Title 16 recycling projects. Planning to avoid a water crisis in the West is essentially meaningless without the dollars to implement ongoing projects that are providing much needed water yield throughout the same area,” noted Napolitano.
“I will work with my colleagues in Congress to restore funding for crucial water recycling, desalination and other important water programs,” concluded Congresswoman Napolitano.
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