Legislative Hearing | Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

The House Committee on Natural Resources GOP Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee held a legislative hearing on January 24, 2025, to consider four bills related to water conservation, aquifer recharge, tribal water infrastructure, and undersea cable permitting. Key procurement-related discussions included the reauthorization of the Colorado River Basin System Conservation Pilot Program (SCPP) through fiscal year 2026, which funds voluntary water conservation projects with a total cost of $4.5 million for 45 projects from 2015 to 2017. The Water Smart Access for Tribes Act was discussed, aiming to waive or reduce nonfederal cost share requirements for tribal governments under the Bureau of Reclamation's Water Smart program to improve tribal access to water infrastructure grants. The Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act amendment was considered to clarify that third parties can use existing Bureau of Land Management rights of way for aquifer recharge without additional authorization, addressing BLM's restrictive interpretation. The Undersea Cable Protection Act was debated, proposing to eliminate NOAA's special use permit requirement for subsea cables in national marine sanctuaries to reduce regulatory uncertainty and support national security and economic interests, while maintaining environmental protections through existing permitting processes. Witnesses from farming, tribal, state water resource, and industry backgrounds testified on the bills' impacts and implementation challenges. Members questioned witnesses on program effectiveness, environmental safeguards, permitting processes, and tribal water access barriers. The hearing emphasized balancing environmental stewardship with infrastructure development and national security needs.