Legislative Background on the California Drought
Recent Action by Congress on Western Water Bills
Since the California drought began several years ago, Congress has been trying unsuccessfully to broker a compromise that would help alleviate the water crisis. The deadlock has resulted from competing proposals — those that emphasize increased funding for above-ground water storage and easing of environmental rules designed to protect endangered species, and those that focus on recycling and cleaning up contaminated groundwater. House Action. On February 5, 2014, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing on three proposals aimed at jumpstarting surface water storage development in the western United States. Subsequently, on March 19, the…