15 Sep 2017
A dangerous water bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in July, and the Senate will now consider it.
H.R. 23 is direct mostly at California, but also would have major implications elsewhere. Entitled the Gaining Responsibility on Water (GROW) Act, it would preempt state water laws in California and fast-track permitting for new dams across the entire West. The Bureau of Reclamation would become the lead agency for permitting all new water-storage projects on federal lands.
The bill would accelerate environmental reviews, even for complex projects with expansive effects on rivers, fish, and wildlife. All environmental impact statements would need to be completed within 13 months. Environmentalists worry that accelerated project reviews could make it difficult to identify and analyze impacts and raise public awareness, making project approvals more likely.
California’s two Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, have vowed to fight the GROW Act. According to High Country News, Senate passage could be tough; similar provisions have stalled in previous years. But now, with the GOP controlling the House, Senate, and the White House, congressional Republicans could be emboldened.
Brian Gray, an emeritus law professor now with the Public Policy Institute of California, told High Country News, “I think there’s a significant chance that (the GROW Act) could pass the Senate. And I’d expect President Trump would happily sign it.”