WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced a bill to create a cooperative water committee of the United States. ‘West. The Western Water Cooperative Committee would ensure that U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) flood control projects in western states are carried out in accordance with congressional directives and comply with water rights and laws States. The committee also establishes a platform for Western states to settle water appropriation and other issues with the corps.

“North Dakota and Western water problems are often the result of the Corps overstepping state authority. Our bill creates the Western Water Cooperative Committee to provide our states with a new avenue for input and cooperation with corps leaders. This increased communication and transparency will help bring to fruition the model of cooperation envisioned by Congress between the states and the Army Corps, ultimately resulting in better policies, water management, and recreational opportunities for the West”, said Senator Cramer.

“Oregon, like other western states, has endured and continues to experience extreme weather and mega-droughts, which are straining regional water resources and deeply affecting families and communities. businesses across our state. This bill creates the Western Water Committee, which, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, will ensure that water projects in western states operate and respect human rights. and state water laws. By establishing the Committee, we can ensure that Western states have the resources, operations, and advocacy necessary for just and equitable water rights. I look forward to working with Senator Cramer and his colleagues to get this bill passed in the Senate,” said Senator Merkley.

Language for the creation of a Western Water Cooperation Committee was included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support last week.

Senators Cramer’s and Merkley’s legislation is endorsed by the Western Governors’ Association, the Western States Water Council and the Western Conference of Attorneys General.

“Western governors know that the states are the preeminent authority on water management within their borders. In carrying out activities related to water resources, federal agencies must recognize natural flows and defer to the legal right of the states to allocate, develop, use, control and distribute these waters. For this reason, the Western Governors’ Association commends Senators Cramer and Merkley for their bipartisan legislation that recognizes that increased collaboration between states and USACE will allow for better alignment between USACE’s development of flood control projects and state water rights and laws,” said Western Governors’ Association executive director Jim Ogsbury.

“The Western States Water Council strongly supports collaborative and cooperative dialogue with our federal partners, recognizing the essential value of federalism and the primary role of Western states in meeting the nation’s current and future water needs. Water resource management must be recognized as a key public policy priority given the importance of the resource to our public health, our economy, our food security, our environment and our Western way of life. We very much appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Senator Cramer and Senator Merkley in bringing this bill forward,” said Jennifer Verleger, president of the Western States Water Council.

“The Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG), a bipartisan group of state attorneys general, writes in favor of…a Cooperative Western Water Committee of the Corps of Engineers (Committee). The Committee will provide a much needed forum for discussions between the Corps and the Western States regarding their respective roles under the Flood Control Act of 1944 and the Water Supply Act of 1958. Considering persistent drought in the western United States and water demand in arid western states, it is more important than ever for the Corps to consult with western states to ensure the operation of federal flood control projects in earlier credits. States do not interfere with the right of States to allocate and distribute water supplies within their borders for present and future uses,” said Western Conference of Attorneys General executive director Karen White.

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Background:

During a Senate hearing on the environment and public works in January, Senator Cramer discussed states’ water rights and underscored his desire to cut unnecessary layers of bureaucracy with the assistant secretary of the for Civil Works Michael Connor and Commanding General and Chief of the US Army Corps of Engineers. of Engineers Lt. Gen. Todd Spellmon.

“As we now pursue a new WRDA, I think we should consider creating some kind of venue or commission that would allow states to have a platform to discuss and address these issues with the [Army] Body. This would provide North Dakota and other western states with the forum to report localized issues they may encounter directly to you,” suggested Senator Cramer.

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