VIDEO: Hickenlooper Bills to Address Colorado River, Boost Conservation Get Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, advocated for three of his bills that would help address the Colorado River crisis and secure a more resilient water future during a Senate ENR Subcommittee on Water and Power hearing. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton testified before the committee about the impact of the bills. Three other bills he cosponsors were also considered during the hearing.

"In the West, water really is life. And we have no crystal ball but we have to be ready for whatever comes," said Hickenlooper.

Hickenlooper leads and cosponsors six bills related to conserving water, managing resources, and helping address the Colorado River crisis, including his recently introduced bipartisan Water Project Navigators Act. The Water Project Navigators Act would establish a new program at the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to fund "navigator" positions with states, Tribes, and rural communities to boost capacity for developing, funding, and implementing water management and conservation projects.

Hickenlooper also leads the bipartisan Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act, which would extend the Colorado River System Conservation Pilot Program through 2026 to support Colorado River water users as they explore innovative strategies to manage a drier future, and the bipartisan Drought Preparedness Act, which would extend important water management programs and address long-term drought in the West.

Hickenlooper cosponsors three other bills considered during today's hearing that would facilitate water management, encourage Tribal access to Reclamation's grant programs, and support Colorado's water infrastructure development:

• Water Monitoring and Tracking Essential Resources Data Improvement Act: improves water estimation and monitoring technologies by reauthorizing the grant programs to develop and implement new methodologies and technologies.

• WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act: increase Tribal access to water conservation and efficiency grants under the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART program.

• Finish the AVC Act: lowers the cost of completing the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC) and makes sure the federal government helps finish the project to deliver clean drinking water to more than 50,000 Coloradans.

Hickenlooper's remarks available HERE and below. Video of Hickenlooper's questions available HERE.

"Mr. Chairman, thank you for today's hearing, and for including several bills that we're proud to champion.

"I also appreciate Commissioner Touton for joining us today, and for her unwavering commitment to [helping] Colorado and the entire West make the most of the water supplies and the shortages we face as a result of this long-term drought.

"Her commitment to work with all parties and to use our experience and science to deal with this uncertain future in the best possible way is remarkable.

"And that's what the bills that we have on the docket today would do.

"I mean in the West, water really is life. And we have no crystal ball but we have to be ready for whatever comes.

"We have one bill to reauthorize the Upper Colorado River Basin's System Conservation Pilot Program, which I am proud to co-lead with Senator Barrasso.

"And this bill helps Upper Basin states like Colorado and Wyoming continue to investigate the best ways to take on voluntary water conservation measures between now and 2026.

"As the Commissioner knows, in 2026 that's when our current plans for managing the Colorado River expire. Understanding now what works best for water conservation in the Upper Basin can help us handle a drier future.

"I'm also proud to join my colleague Senator Michael Bennet on a bill to help ensure the affordability of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a critical infrastructure project in Southeastern Colorado that he's been working on for more than a decade. These communities have been waiting for 60 years to get clean, reliable water. We're committed to getting that done.

"Also worked with Senator Lummis and with you, Mr. Wyden, on legislation that would continue the good work that the Department of the Interior's already doing on water. Our bills reauthorize the Bureau's authorities under the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act, as well as key DOI programs for streamgage and groundwater monitoring.

"And then lastly, we're also really looking forward to diving in on the Water Project Navigators Act that Senator Moran and I just introduced. And this would create a new Reclamation program to help communities, rural communities especially, and Tribes build up on their own internal capacity to develop projects that can benefit both water supply and the environment.

"We'll dig in deeper on each of these during my time for questions, but for now, thank you again for the hearing."

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