RENO, NEVADA - Water and Science and Bureau of Reclamation senior leadership are showcasing how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will benefit family farmers, ranchers, irrigation districts and allied industries in 17 western states during the Family Farm Alliance Annual Meeting and Conference February 24-25 at the Silver Legacy Resort in Reno, Nevada.
This year's agenda features a keynote address by the Department of the Interior's Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo and remarks by Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton.
"We have a historic opportunity to make investments that will help local, state, and Tribal communities respond to drought," said Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Trujillo. "I am grateful for this opportunity to continue to hear from and receive input from our partners to make the best use of this opportunity."
In her remarks, Assistant Secretary Trujillo highlighted how the Department is marshaling new and existing resources and working in partnership with state, local, and Tribal governments to address the needs of communities suffering from drought-related impacts. Key to this effort will be the historical funding available from the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Federal leaders will also participate in moderated panel discussions on both days of the conference. The Reclamation Roundtable features the assistant secretary and five regional directors discussing the bureau's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law implementation and readiness for the work on the ground to manage western water. Friday's federal water panel will discuss the Administration's all-of-government approach to addressing climate change and includes senior leadership from the Department of the Interior, Department of the Army, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture.
"We welcome the opportunity to have conversations on topics of critical concern to our western agriculture partners," said Commissioner Touton. "We are reinforcing how the Administration is managing western water in a drier and warmer environment and how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enables Reclamation to meet the need for long-term drought adaptation by building a more resilient western infrastructure. "
In her remarks, Commissioner Touton emphasized that Reclamation's $8.3 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocation represents a generational investment to address the vast infrastructure challenges facing the western water and power communities. Key to its successful implementation, she noted, is an informed discussion among a broad range of federal leadership and stakeholders
"Reclamation is committed to collaborative efforts to ensure that Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments reflect the Administration's priorities," Touton said. "This includes investing public dollars efficiently, working to avoid waste, and focusing on measurable outcomes for the American people."
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
