July 23, 2010

Protecting the Water Supply
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Full Committee Hearing

Chairwoman Boxer (D-Calif.)will hold a hearing on protecting the nation's water treatment facilities.

When: Wednesday, July 28, 2:30 p.m.
Where: 406 Dirksen Bldg.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior & Environment yesterday marked up the FY 2011 spending bill funding the Department of Interior, EPA and related agencies. The House Subcommittee approved $11 billion for the Department of Interior; equal to last year’s enacted level and $133 million less than the President’s request. The Subcommittee approved $10 billion for the EPA, $271 million less than last year’s enacted level and $2 million less than the President’s request.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will consider the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2010 on Thursday, July 29th. According to committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN), the committee has withdrawn all Republican project requests in light of a letter pulling all such requests from House Republican leadership.

Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee accepted the House Report of H.R. 4349, the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2010. The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee's acceptance the report, without any amendments, significantly enhances the prospects of bringing the bill to the Senate floor.

Yesterday, July 20, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy & Water Development marked up their version of the appropriations bill funding the Department of Energy (DOE), the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation.

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water marked up the FY 2011 spending bill. The subcommittee approved the $34.6 billion bill by a voice vote after much debate in regards to several sections under the Department of Energy. 

On July 15, Chairwoman Grace Napolitano (D-38) and Ranking Member Tom McClintock (R-4) of the House Water and Power subcommittee, held an oversight hearing examining the Bureau of Reclamation’s commitment and expenditure of stimulus funds, including the $135 million for the Title XVI Water Recycling Program. ACWA member Tony Pack, General Manager of Eastern Municipal Water District, appeared as a witness at the hearing.

Today Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the projects that will be funded in fiscal year 2010 by the Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI).