The Department of the Interior today (Jan 7) announced a more than $41 million investment from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for 21 projects to bolster water resources, advance ecosystem health, and support resilience in communities facing drought and other climate change impacts. The projects will support instream and riparian restoration, canal lining and piping, fish habitat improvements and fish passage. This follows a $51 million investment for Environmental Water Resource Projects through the same program in 2023.
"Nature is our best ally in the fight against climate change and through President Biden's Investing in America agenda, we have transformational resources to advance locally led, partnership driven projects like these that will catalyze nature-based solutions and build resilient communities and landscapes," said Secretary Deb Haaland. "These collaborative projects will enhance watershed health and conservation throughout the country."
"The projects selected are working through a collaborative process to achieve nature-based solutions for the health of our watersheds and river ecosystems to increase drought resiliency," said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. "This historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law gives Reclamation the opportunity to continue to collaborate with our stakeholders to leverage funds for these multi-benefit projects."
Projects selected to receive this funding through Reclamation's WaterSMART program are in California, Colorado, Hawai'i, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Projects will enhance water conservation and efficiency, make water management and infrastructure improvements, restore rivers and watersheds, and advance nature-based solutions that provide significant ecological benefits while also providing critical support for communities facing climate catastrophes. A full list of projects selected is on the Reclamation website.
President Biden's Investing in America agenda represents the largest investment in climate resilience in the nation's history and is providing much-needed resources to enhance western communities' resilience to drought and other climate change impacts. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Reclamation is investing a total of $8.3 billion over five years for water infrastructure projects, including rural water, water storage, conservation and conveyance, nature-based solutions, dam safety, water purification and reuse, and desalination. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was signed three years ago, Reclamation has announced more than $5 billion for more than 670 projects.
The WaterSMART program advances the Justice40 Initiative, part of the Biden-Harris administration's historic commitment to environmental justice, which aims to ensure 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain climate, clean energy and other federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that have been marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
About the U.S. Department of the Interior
The Department of the Interior (DOI) conserves and manages the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people, provides scientific and other information about natural resources and natural hazards to address societal challenges and create opportunities for the American people, and honors the Nation's trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities to help them prosper.
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