Hickenlooper, Moran, Pettersen, Ciscomani Re-Intro Bipartisan Bill to Help Tribes, Rural Communities Access Funding for Water Conservation

Water Project Navigators Act would create grant navigator positions to help states, water districts, and Tribes secure federal funding

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Jerry Moran along with Representatives Brittany Pettersen and Juan Ciscomani reintroduced the bipartisan Water Project Navigators Act. The bill would establish a new program at the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to fund grant navigators who would help states, Tribes, and rural communities secure resources for projects that improve water efficiency, reduce water consumption, and enhance ecosystem resilience.

"Communities needing the most federal support for their water supply are often the ones who don't get it," said Hickenlooper. "Water project navigators will help get more projects developed, funded, and built for our rural and tribal communities."

"Over the past few years, families, farms and communities across Kansas have been impacted by drought," said Moran. "While there are federal resources available to help preserve water, accessing these resources can be a challenge for Tribal and rural communities. This legislation will connect these communities with the resources available to them to help combat the impact of droughts."

"Water is life in Colorado, but as federal clean water programs face devastating cuts, rural communities need our support now more than ever," said Pettersen. "Climate change is making droughts more frequent and more severe, and communities shouldn't be left to navigate complex funding processes on their own. The Water Project Navigators Act ensures Tribes, rural towns, and local water districts have the support they need to draw down federal dollars, making sure the next generation can grow up in a secure, resilient Colorado."

"In Arizona, water is our most precious resource. As the drought worsens in the West, it is now more important than ever that impacted communities have the necessary tools to secure federal dollars for critical multi-benefit water infrastructure projects," said Ciscomani. "I am proud to have worked with a bipartisan, bicameral group of my colleagues on this legislation that will create a community navigator position through the Bureau of Reclamation to assist our constituents that need it the most in funding their water conservation efforts."

Across the West, rivers and streams are threatened by severe drought and persistent wildfire. In Western rural and Tribal communities, aging infrastructure faces challenges from increasing water demand and changes in hydrology. The Bureau of Reclamation currently has grant programs to help states and local governments with water management challenges such as drought and persistent wildfire, but even with funding available, many rural and Tribal communities lack the necessary capacity and resources to apply for and access these federal resources.

Water project navigators would provide the technical assistance these communities need to plan, implement, and secure resources for projects that improve water efficiency.

Specifically, this bill would:

• Help communities build capacity to develop and implement multi-benefit water projects.
  
  
• Accelerate creation of projects that support a variety of water supply and sustainability goals.
  
  
• Prioritize applicants with the most need, including Tribes and rural communities.
  
  
• Work within eligible entities such as states, Tribes, regional local governments, special districts, conservation districts, and non-governmental organizations, tapping into local expertise to maximize federal resources on the ground.

The Navigators Program is inspired by Colorado's Federal Technical Assistance Grants for Colorado Water Projects and the Colorado River District's Water Conservation District's Accelerator Grant Program.

"The Water Project Navigators Act builds on successful efforts in Colorado to provide critical investments in enhancing local capacity that, in turn, will promote the responsible stewardship of water resources for fish and wildlife while enhancing water security," said Alex Funk, Director of Water Resources, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. "We applaud Senators Hickenlooper and Moran's leadership in working to reduce barriers facing our rural communities in accessing critical federal resources for water projects that are necessary to address the constant threat of drought and increasing pressure on water supplies in the American West."

Text of the bill available HERE.

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