07/02/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/02/2024 15:05
"Protection of our watersheds is critical as we work to safeguard local water supplies, restore ecosystems and build climate resilience in the West," Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said. "Thanks to new resources through President Biden's Investing in America agenda, we are advancing cooperative locally driven partnerships that will help combat the impacts of climate change and provide restored habitat for fish and wildlife."
Through the WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program, Reclamation encourages diverse stakeholders to cooperate to develop sustainable local solutions to address ecosystem and water management needs.
This program advances President Biden's Justice40 Initiativewhich sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
The projects selected through today's announcement include:
View a full list of projects on the Bureau of Reclamation's Website.
A watershed group is a grassroots non-regulatory entity that addresses water availability and quality issues within the relevant watershed. They must be capable of promoting the sustainable use of water resources in the watershed and make decisions on a consensus basis.
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Reclamation is investing a total of $8.3 billion over five years for water infrastructure projects, including rural water, water storage, conservation and conveyance, nature-based solutions, dam safety, water purification and reuse, and desalination. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed in November 2021, Reclamation has announced more than $4.1 billion for more than 537 projects.