On Tuesday April 13th, Republican Congressional representatives from various parts of the United States, including California Representatives John Duarte (R-Modesto), Doug LaMalfa (R-Oroville), and Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove), attended a hearing in Fresno and Tulare counties on two water bills. One of the two bills, the Working to Advance Tangible and Effective Reforms (WATER) for California (H.R. 215) Act, was introduced earlier this year by Representative David Valadao. H.R. 215 seeks to reinstate the controversial biological opinions that were issued by federal agencies during the Trump administration. These opinions relaxed protections for endangered species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and would apply to both the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. The bill also urges state and federal water agencies to operate in a manner that improves water supply reliability and provides the maximum quantity of water supplies possible to various water contractors for agricultural, urban, and industrial uses. Additionally, the bill would make the proposed enlargement of Lake Shasta and other smaller projects in the western U.S. eligible for federal funds through 2028.
