Amodei: Water rights protection language successfully included in Interior appropriations bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Brian Baluta, 202-225-6155
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-2) today announced that language to protect privately held water rights from federal takings was included in the FY 2015 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Amodei submitted the language to the subcommittee on behalf of several members from Western states: Reps. Scott Tipton (CO-3), Rob Bishop (UT-1), Cynthia Lummis (WY-1), Tom McClintock (CA-4), Steve Pearce (NM-2), Paul Gosar (AZ-4), Kevin Cramer (ND-1), Mike Coffman (CO-6) and Cory Gardner (CO-4).
The language was drafted by Reps. Tipton and Amodei for H.R. 3189, the Water Rights Protection Act, which passed the House of Representatives on March 13, 2014. Its inclusion in the appropriations bill increases the chances it will be signed into law.
“Nothing in federal law grants federal land managers jurisdiction over Nevada’s ground water. That responsibility is one of the few states’ rights remaining in Nevada and I will work all day, every day to keep it,” said Amodei.“With its inclusion in the Interior appropriations bill, this much-needed and timely reminder keeps the pressure on the federal government to comply with state rules and decisions when it comes to Nevada’s ground water. Anything less amounts to what increasingly looks like a war on the West by this administration.”
“I want to thank Chairman Ken Calvert (CA-42) and his staff for their earnest consideration and for working with us on the priorities of Nevada and the West,” said Amodei.
Recently, the U.S. Forest Service attempted to implement a permit condition on National Forest System lands to require the transfer of privately held water rights to the federal government. There are also cases of federal land managers requiring water users to apply for their rights under state law in the name of the United States rather than for themselves.
The following language was included in the FY 2015 Interior appropriations bill on page 132.
Protection of Water Rights
SEC. 438. None of the funds made available in this or any other Act may be used to condition the issuance, renewal, amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, license, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other land use or occupancy agreement on the transfer of any water right, including sole and joint ownership, directly to the United States, or any impairment of title, in whole or in part, granted or otherwise recognized under State law, by Federal or State adjudication, decree, or other judgment, or pursuant to any interstate water compact. Additionally, none of the funds made available in this or any other Act may be used to require any water user to apply for or acquire a water right in the name of the United States under State law as a condition of the issuance, renewal, amendment, or extension of any permit, approval, license, lease, allotment, easement, right-of-way, or other land use or occupancy agreement.
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