George P. Radanovich: “H.R. 5110, sponsored by our colleague from Colorado, Mark Udall, authorizes the Department of the Interior to fund…”

“H.R. 5110, sponsored by our colleague from Colorado, Mark Udall, authorizes the Department of the Interior to fund projects for the potential use of extracted water for irrigation and other purposes. It will not surprise anybody that water is scarce in the West, but it may surprise some that a potential source of good quality water is just beneath the land surface and is being wasted every day. During the process of energy development, about 22 million barrels of water are extracted each year, with most of that water pumped back underground. This legislation will facilitate the use of this abundant water for irrigation and other beneficial purposes. It could potentially help us find new water from what is now a virtually untapped water resource. I thank the gentleman from Colorado for introducing this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.”