Date and time: Monday, July 22, 2024
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov
WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced funding opportunities through President Biden’s Investing in America Plan for ecosystem and habitat restoration projects in the Upper Colorado River Basin to address the impacts of drought. These funds will help build community and landscape resilience while supporting habitat restoration and species recovery. These funds will be made available through the Bureau of Reclamation for use in the upstream states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming under the Inflation Control Act, the largest investment in climate change in history. It has become.
The Colorado River Basin provides water for more than 40 million people, fuels hydroelectric resources for seven U.S. states, is an important resource for 30 tribal nations and two Mexican states, and provides water for the entire West. It supports 5.5 million acres of agriculture and a farming community. In addition to important ecosystems and endangered species. Despite improved hydrology in recent months, water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead are at record lows due to a historic 23-year drought. The Biden-Harris administration will address the ongoing drought, prevent reservoirs in the Colorado River system from dropping to dangerously low elevations that threaten water supplies and power generation in the region, and protect the region’s long-term water supply. is leading a comprehensive effort to ensure safety. Pass down the basin for generations.
“This funding will strengthen watershed health and conservation across the Upper Basin as communities across the West continue to face the effects of prolonged and severe drought,” Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. . “Thanks to historic funding from the Investing in America Plan, the Department of the Interior is committed to using every available resource to ensure the sustainability of the Colorado River system for the families, farms, and economies that depend on it.” ”
In October 2022, the Department announced investments under the Inflation Control Act for long-term system efficiency improvements across the basin. This includes at least $500 million to upstream states that will provide additional water conservation, environmental benefits, and ecosystem and habitat restoration. . Reclamation is implementing the use of these funds in two phases. Initially, Reclamation invested nearly $50 million to support the restart of the System Conservation Pilot Program (SCPP) in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The SCPP will be implemented in water years 2023 and 2024 and is expected to save a total of 104,000 acre-feet of water by the end of September of this year. Today’s call is for projects that benefit the environment, including ecosystem and habitat restoration.
“This phase of funding will provide critical environmental benefits by promoting long-term conservation efforts and mitigating drought severity in upstream states,” said Reclamation Director Camille. Karimrim Touton said. “Reclamation projects will continue to work collaboratively with stakeholders to leverage once-in-a-generation investments from the Biden-Harris Administration and benefit ecosystem health and water resources.”
President Biden’s Investment Plan for America represents the largest investment in climate resilience in U.S. history, providing much-needed resources to strengthen Western communities’ resilience to drought and climate change I am doing it. Through the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, Reclamation would provide five-year funding for water infrastructure projects such as local water, water storage, conservation and transportation, nature-based solutions, dam safety, water purification and reuse, and desalination. A total of $8.3 billion has been invested. The Inflation Control Act provides an additional $4.6 billion to strengthen drought resilience across the Western world.
Applicants must be a public or tribal entity or partner with such an entity to implement the project. Detailed information for applicants, including additional eligibility and evaluation criteria and how to apply, is available on the Upper Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program website. Applications for the project will be accepted until September 27, 2024. The selection is expected to be made by the end of 2024 or early 2025.
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