Valadao introduces legislation to address drought

Jun. 18—Thursday, Congressman David G. Valadao introduced the Necessary to Ensure Expeditious Delivery of Water Act, or NEED Water Act, to provide emergency drought relief for the Central Valley.

Given the State of Emergency Declaration by Governor Newsom as a result of the severe drought, the legislation would protect water currently in the Central Valley Project system for human needs and reduce regulatory burdens in order to lessen the negative impacts of the drought on Central Valley residents. This bill would also extend the California provisions of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act (P.L. 114-322) and is cosponsored by the majority of the California Republican delegation.

"Burdensome regulations continue to prevent communities in my district from getting the water they desperately need. The reservoirs are currently extremely low because of disastrous policies that force us to waste water during wet years. The severity of the effects of this drought could have been lessened by commonsense actions during years with more rain. The lack of rain this year is exacerbating the ongoing drought, and my constituents are in desperate need of immediate relief," said Congressman David Valadao (CA-21). "While the NEED Water Act is not a long-term solution, it would provide temporary operational flexibility for the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project to reduce water supply shortages in Valley communities."

"Ensuring our families, farmers, and communities get the water they need is critical. No one knows this better than Congressman David Valadao. He has been a key champion on water policies, and I look forward to continuing to work with David to help ensure a reliable water supply for those living in the Central Valley and throughout California," said Congressman Kevin McCarthy (CA-23).