John Curtis: “Most of us know how important water is in our States and the impact it plays in growth. It is directly tied to economic…”

“Most of us know how important water is in our States and the impact it plays in growth. It is directly tied to economic development and the health and beauty of the places we live. Today, in accordance with commitments I have made to build improved quality of life in the rural areas of my district, I am introducing bipartisan legislation that will reauthorize the Bureau of Reclamation to provide cost sharing for the endangered fish recovery implementation programs in the Upper Colorado and San Juan River basins. This bill is important because the successful recovery of these endangered species paves the way for critical projects in these waterways, projects that will facilitate water for agriculture, economic development, and other important uses not just in the rural areas of Utah's Third Congressional District, but in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico as well. This bill reauthorizes a program that has become a national model for addressing the demands for water development to support growing Western communities. It has been run with accountability and solid results since 2012. Constituents will be pleased that the revenue for this project comes not from tax dollars but, rather, from fees collected by the projects from water users within the area. The bill also strikes an important balance between conservation, recreation, and ensuring that we have access to public lands and natural resources.…”