Gallego Celebrates Funding Announcement for Arizona Water Conservation Efforts
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a member of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, joined federal, state, local and tribal officials for a ceremony and press conference commemorating a system conservation agreement and $83 million for a reclaimed water pipeline project that will generate up to 125,000 acre-feet of system conservation water in just this year.
“As I’ve said time and time again, protecting Arizona’s water requires an all hands-on-deck strategy,” said Rep. Gallego. “Today’s announced system conservation agreement and reclaimed water pipeline project are a great example of how all levels of government can work together to protect our water supply amid historic drought. With coordination between Arizona’s Tribes and local and state officials, and with federal funding secured by House Democrats through the Inflation Reduction Act, we can and will solve our water crisis.”
Attendees at today’s ceremony included Governor Katie Hobbs, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Tommy Beaudreau, Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation Dave Palumbo, Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Senator Mark Kelly, Rep. Greg Stanton, Mayor Kate Gallego, Mayor Regina Romero, and Mayor Mitch Landrieu. The delegation also travelled to a solar covered canal site before hosting a press conference at the Arizona State Capital with the Gila River Indian Community Council, Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke, and other Arizona water leaders.
In February, Rep. Gallego announced $128 Million in federal funding was heading to Arizona to settle Indian water rights claims. Last Congress, he introduced The Domestic Water Protection Act of 2022, a bill aimed at addressing the abuse of water resources by foreign governments in drought-stricken states like Arizona.
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Rep. Ruben Gallego is a Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Iraq. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.