Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
The Department of the Interior has announced a nearly $105 million investment as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, aimed at enhancing drought resilience through 67 water conservation and efficiency projects nationwide. The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriations.
President Biden's Investing in America agenda represents a significant investment in climate resilience, providing resources to bolster Western communities against drought and climate change effects. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Bureau of Reclamation is committing $8.3 billion over five years for various water infrastructure projects, including rural water, storage, conservation, conveyance, nature-based solutions, dam safety, purification and reuse, and desalination. Since its signing in November 2021, Reclamation has allocated $4.2 billion for 575 projects.
“Access to clean, reliable water is essential for feeding families, growing crops, sustaining wildlife, and powering agricultural businesses," said Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis. "Enabled by the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris administration is bringing historic resources to bear to ensure the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River Basin in the wake of severe drought and to safeguard communities across the West by strengthening climate resilience and facilitating water conservation.”
“As we work to counter the impacts of drought and climate change, we must embrace opportunities to increase water and energy efficiency wherever possible,” said Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “The President’s Investing in America agenda provides the resources to expand these conservation efforts that include canal lining, meter installation, conservation incentives, and gate automation.”
Reclamation anticipates that these projects—located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Texas Utah and Wyoming—will save more than 111 thousand acre-feet of water annually; enough to supply approximately 447 thousand people for a year. This builds upon $140 million announced for water and energy efficiency projects last year. The complete list of projects can be found on Reclamation's website.
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