Archive for the Policy & Politics Category
Water Cutbacks for Arizona and Nevada Under New Deal
Under a set of agreements intended to help boost the water level of Lake Mead, which now stands at just 40% capacity, Arizona and Nevada will receive less water from the Colorado River starting next year. The Federal Bureau of Reclamation released projections on Friday showing that Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir, will be at levels next year that continue to trigger moderate cutbacks in both states. Those reductions could eventually increase in the next few years if Lake Mead drops further. The estimates show the reservoir near Las Vegas will likely begin 2021 about 10 feet above a […]
Water Resources Development Act of 2020 Approved
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 (H.R. 7575)[1], authorizing at least $8.6 billion in federal funds for 38 new Army Corps of Engineers construction projects. WRDA 2020 provides policy direction to the Army Corps of Engineers for its civil works missions. This includes flood and storm protection, river and port navigation, environmental restoration improvements, and other water resources infrastructure according to Engineering News-Record (ENR). The total cost of the projects is estimated at more than $13 billion. The 2020 WRDA was passed by the House on Jul. 29, so WRDA will […]
National Water Sustainability Act Introduced to U.S. Senate
Earlier this month, Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) introduced the Water for Tomorrow Act, legislation that ensures the country’s water supply can be maintained safely and sustainably for the future. The threat of climate change continues to intensify water scarcity and extreme weather conditions, especially in the West Coast and Mid-West states in the U.S. By combining the water sustainability measures from the Water Justice Act and key measures from the FUTURE Drought Resiliency Act, the Water for Tomorrow Act serves as the most progressive legislation introduced regarding water resiliency and sustainability. “Every American has the right to clean water,” said […]
Clean Water 2020: The Roadmap for Wastewater Management in Ohio
The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) held a virtual public meeting on July 1st to answer questions about the proposed clean water plan that would serve as a 20-year roadmap for wastewater management and water quality. The plan, Clean Water 2020, is an update to the NOACA’s current wastewater management plan which was released in 2000. Updated every 20 years, Clean Water 2020 is part of Ohio’s statewide water quality management plan which is required by federal law. NOACA is the environmental and transportation planning agency for the region and is tasked by the state to develop the regional […]
The Return of the California Water Wars
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform how we live, there has been one aspect in California that appears immune to change: the federal and state water wars. The United States’ Bureau of Reclamation is poised for another showdown against the state’s Department of Water Resources over who controls the vital water supply. Last year, the Bureau of Reclamation issued new operating criteria for the Central Valley Project in the form of an 871-page “biological assessment”. Within this document were details on how the water was to be maximized for water supply and delivery while also maintaining adequate protections for […]