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Alliance Log
 
Mission: To ensure the availability of reliable, affordable irrigation water supplies to  Western farmers and ranchers.
 
Issue Alert! 
Alliance to Testify on
 Western Water Infrastructure Investments
Testimony Before House Water & Power Subcommittee will Assess Bureau of Reclamation's Use of Stimulus Funds
(Washington, D.C. - July 15, 2010)  

The Family Farm Alliance has been asked to testify before the House Water and Power Subcommittee in a hearing titled "The Bureau of Reclamation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA): A Progress Report and Planning for the Future." Executive Director Dan Keppen (OREGON) will represent the Alliance on Thursday morning in Washington, D.C. Keppen previously testified before this committee in April of 2009 after reviewing the Interior Department's proposed plan for the allocation of $1 billion in economic stimulus funding to projects and programs of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). 
 
"At the time, we were generally pleased by the plan, which proposed to fund some vitally important projects intended to ensure security of water supplies in several states," Keppen said. "However, we were concerned that the proposal allocated only about $130 million to the rehabilitation of Reclamation's aging existing infrastructure, which the agency estimates is in need of approximately $3 billion worth of repairs.  We were also concerned that the proposal did not provide a more aggressive response to the water supply crisis in California."
 
Some of these concerns remain, he said, and will be reiterated in his testimony at Thursday's hearing.
 
In the American West, Federal water supply systems are essential components of communities, farms, and the environment. 
 
"These facilities are an integral part of the nation's food-production system and their consistent operation helps ensure our farmer's ability to provide a reliable and secure food supply for our own citizens and the rest of the world," said Alliance President Patrick O'Toole, a rancher from Wyoming. "Population growth, environmental demands and climate change are placing an unprecedented strain on aging water storage and conveyance systems designed primarily for agricultural use."
 
Thursday's hearing is important for the opportunity it presents to assess the effectiveness of stimulus projects completed by Reclamation. Keppen's testimony will seek to address whether ARRA projects are aligned with Reclamation's mission, summarize lessons learned in the past year, assess whether projects identified for ARRA funding will shift Reclamation's priorities in the future, and make a determination as to whether or not the allocation of ARRA funds to Reclamation met the goals of the original stimulus legislation. 
  
"Funding for water conservation and management projects was well received and will provide lasting benefits for many of our members." Keppen said. "However, funding for rehabilitation of existing aging infrastructure was inadequate when compared to the total funding provided and the huge economic and societal risk associated with aging facilities across the West."
 
The Alliance believes streamlined (not weakened) environmental processes would have helped get projects started and funding out quicker, resulting in more jobs being created. 
 
"Even with the language in the ARRA bill directing agencies to create a streamlined process, not enough was done to make these processes more efficient or effective," said Keppen. "In the bigger picture, streamlined regulations are also needed to kick-start the development of new projects that enhance water supplies." 
 
Moving forward, prioritizing the expenditure of existing agency funding toward the rehabilitation of aging facilities and accelerating construction of water conservation and management infrastructure in partnership with non-federal water management entities will create jobs without adding to existing federal spending requirements.
 
The Subcommittee consists of members of the House Natural Resources Committee and is chaired by Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-California). The Ranking Republican on the Subcommittee is Rep. Tom McClintock, who represents Northeastern California.
 
The Family Farm Alliance is a grassroots organization of family farmers, ranchers, irrigation districts and allied industries in 16 Western states.  The Alliance is focused on one mission:  To ensure the availability of reliable, affordable irrigation water supplies to Western farmers and ranchers. Since 2005, the Family Farm Alliance has been invited to testify 25 times before Congress on water and environmental challenges and legislation. For more information on the Alliance, go to www.familyfarmalliance.org