Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Rep. John Curtis’ bill, the Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act. The bill addresses a longstanding imbalance in the Lower Basin Fund, which funds salinity control projects. The legislation incorporates work from the seven Colorado River Basin states, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

“The Colorado River is the lifeblood of the West, and its health is crucial for our communities, our economy, and our environment,” said Rep. Curtis. “The Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act builds on decades of collaborative efforts to reduce salinity levels, which have greatly improved water quality across the Basin. I’m grateful for the bipartisan support for this legislation and for the dedicated work of my colleagues, including Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), the seven Basin states, and all the partners who have contributed to this important step forward for water users across the West.”

Floor Speech Remarks:

[VIDEO DOWNLOAD]

[TRANSCRIPT]

Statements of Support for the Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act:

“Congressman Curtis’s bill provides a commonsense fix to existing legislation, easing cost burdens and ensuring a reliable water source for the entire Colorado River basin. This bill will also build on the successful work already completed by the Colorado River Salinity Control Program. I congratulate him on getting this bill through the House and look forward to working to advance this solution.” – House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman

“The Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act is important to water users like the Washington County Water Conservancy District. The bill will ensure the program can continue to facilitate important funding partnerships with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation as we seek to plan and develop salinity control projects that result in the protection of water quality for the Colorado River and its tributaries. This action by the House of Representatives is a major milestone. I remain grateful to Congressman Curtis and the rest of the Utah delegation for their efforts on these issues.” – Zachary Renstrom, General Manager, Washington County Water Conservancy District

"The salinity control program has successfully reduced hundreds of millions of dollars in annual salinity related water quality damages in the Colorado river. Utah citizens are direct beneficiaries of this program. We applaud Representative Curtis for championing this legislation." – Amy Haas, Executive Director, Colorado River Authority of Utah

“As Utah’s Commissioner for the Upper Colorado River Commission, I am thrilled the House of Representatives passed the Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act. This bill will ensure the program can sustainably fund and deliver critical salinity control project planning and implementation efforts and enhance water quality for the Colorado River system. Also, through the program’s investments, water operational efficiencies for agriculture production can be achieved that both produce water savings and protect water quality in the Green River, a tributary of the Colorado River.” – Gene Shawcroft, Colorado River Commissioner of Utah.

The bill is supported by the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and Trout Unlimited.

ADDITIONAL READING:

Deseret News: Curtis bills address Colorado River salinity, critical minerals

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