Jim Costa: “I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, as my colleague mentioned, this amendment updates the bill…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, as my colleague mentioned, this amendment updates the bill to be consistent with the memorandum of understanding between the Bureau of Reclamation and the Sites Joint Powers Authority. As has been noted by speakers on both sides, California last year came together, in a bipartisan, overwhelming way, to provide $7.5 billion for improving our water system to provide more funding for the tools in our water toolbox to provide greater reliability throughout California; $2.7 billion of that water bond measure was set aside for water storage projects. This is one of the projects that can participate in that funding. I support this effort because increased storage capacity--both surface, as well as groundwater recharge--is absolutely necessary to provide the additional resiliency and reliability in California's water system. I support the construction of Sites Reservoir, working in conjunction with increasing the supply of Shasta Reservoir, by increasing that dam, would provide additional water supply, as well as Temperance Flat, as well as the expansion of Los Vaqueros, which is underway by the Contra Costa Water District, as well as the expansion of San Luis Reservoir, which is allowed for in this legislation, as well as increased groundwater banking. All of these are part of the solution.…”