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| Water Rights Focus of Committee Hearing |
September 06, 2003 |
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| Wilson, Congress Visit Belen with Listening Caps On
Belen, NM – Congresswoman Heather Wilson and members of a key Congressional committee visited Belen, New Mexico today to learn more about New Mexico water rights issues in the wake of a precedent-setting court ruling. Chairman Richard Pombo, who heads the U.S. House Committee on Resources, joined Wilson and New Mexico’s House delegation to hear testimony from key New Mexicans about the impact of a ruling by the 10th Circuit Court in June. Wilson has offered a legislative fix for Albuquerque’s water woes that is still pending final approval in the U.S. Congress.
In June, the Court ruled that the Bureau of Reclamation has discretion to reduce water deliveries to urban and agricultural water uses in order to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
“The court’s decision has enormous consequences for all Western states, where water is such a valuable resource and a critical part of our economy,” said Wilson as the hearing started this morning. The day of the court decision, Wilson called Pombo and asked him to visit New Mexico. “Chairman Pombo and others here today understand the effects this decision has on our water rights, and I thank the Chairman for bringing his Committee to New Mexico to hear from our constituents. Our state’s leaders, from Albuquerque’s mayor to our Governor to our federal delegation, have all recognized this as a major problem. This hearing is a critical opportunity for New Mexico to be heard on a national level.”
Wilson offered legislation in July that specified that federal funding from the FY04 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill cannot be used to release water from the San Juan Chama Project or the Middle Rio Grande Project, for the purpose of complying with the Endangered Species Act of 1973. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson expressed his support for Wilson’s efforts. “I support the amendment that you plan to offer to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill,” said Governor Richardson in a letter to Wilson the day she offered her amendment. “It is consistent with our efforts to resolve the dispute involving the endangered Silvery Minnow and the future of Albuquerque’s water supply.”
Wilson’s amendment passed with the support of New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce and is now a part of the House version of the legislation. U.S. Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman inserted similar language on the Senate side. Both versions of the bill must now be finalized before being sent to the President.
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