Devin Nunes, United States Congressman | 21st District of California

Washington, Feb 14 -

Representative Devin Nunes (CA-21) today announced that the House Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a markup for H.R. 1837, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act. The markup will occur on Thursday, February 16, 2012. Consideration by the full House is expected in the coming weeks.

"I am pleased that after four years of inaction by Democratic super-majorities in Congress, we are now – under Republican leadership - able to move forward with a solution to California’s government-imposed drought,” said Rep. Devin Nunes.

"This legislation is a comprehensive regional solution to water shortages that have been caused by failed government policies, not actual shortages of water. We have crafted a good bill that not only restores the flow of water but will ultimately make unnecessary the construction of a $12 billion canal to bypass the Bay-Delta.”

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act ends policies that have failed for 20 years, restores water rights, cuts costs, and paves the way for measurable environmental improvements.

Water Recovery
The Act restores water deliveries that were cut off by environmental lawsuits and overreaching federal regulation. The Act recovers the lost water that was dedicated to a failed $1 billion salmon restoration plan.

A Reliable Water Supply
The Act ensures water reliability by restoring long-term water contracts that were curtailed by radical environmentalists. The Act ensure a stable water supply by mandating compliance with the water accord agreed to by the State of California, the federal government, water agencies, and environmental organizations. The Act streamlines environmental regulatory processes to speed up water reliability projects and transfers. The Act expands the use of the Central Valley Project to allow water deliveries by non-federal sources. The Act ends the bizarre effort to protect non-native species and focuses efforts on native species thereby ensuring environmental water is used for a beneficial purpose.

Cutting Costs
The Act addresses the budget realities faced by all levels of government and terminates the ostentatious and misguided $1 billion salmon restoration program. It also nullifies the need to construct of a canal to bypass the Bay-Delta, savings $12 billion. The Act reduces the debt by $300 million by incentivizing early pay-off of the Central Valley Project federal loan. The Act establishes transparency and accountability measures to protect taxpayers from frivolous spending on failed environmental projects.

Secures Private Property Rights
The Act protects and secures all water rights that are senior to federal water rights. The Act settles a long standing dispute over area-of-origin water rights.

For more information visit www.nunes.house.gov/water