To amend the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015, to reauthorize the Colorado River System conservation pilot program.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
Passed SenateMr. Hickenlooper (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Curtis, Ms. Lummis, …
Passed Senate (inferred from es version)
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill extends the Colorado River System conservation pilot program by two years. The program, originally authorized in 2015, pays water users to voluntarily reduce their water use to help keep more water in Lake Mead and Lake Powell. The bill extends eligibility for funding agreements through 2026 and extends the program's overall authority through 2027.
Who Benefits and How
Water users in the Colorado River Basin (farmers, municipalities, tribes) benefit by continuing to receive payments for voluntarily conserving water. Downstream water users benefit from increased water storage. Western states dependent on Colorado River water benefit from continued drought mitigation efforts.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal taxpayers bear the cost of the conservation payments. The Bureau of Reclamation bears administrative costs. However, the alternative of water shortages could impose much higher economic costs on the region.
Key Provisions
- Extends deadline to enter funding agreements from 2024 to 2026
- Extends program authority from 2025 to 2027
- Maintains existing program structure and conservation approaches
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Extends the Colorado River System conservation pilot program for two years, from 2024/2025 deadlines to 2026/2027, allowing continued water conservation efforts in the drought-stressed Colorado River Basin.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Simple extension of proven conservation program to address ongoing drought crisis"
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
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