With more than a third of the West gripped by severe drought, Rep. John Fleming's (R-LA) House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans will examine a few bills aimed at getting a clearer understanding of the condition of the federal government's infrastructure. Lack of information about repair needs at dams, canals, and pump stations owned by the Bureau of Reclamation has frustrated lawmakers in recent years. The majority of Reclamation's infrastructure is more than 60 years old, and the upgrade needs are significant. Two bills that the Subcommittee will consider are H.R. 1107, a measure sponsored by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and H.R. 2749, which was introduced by Rep. David Valadao (R-CA). The Gosar legislation (H.R. 1107) would require Reclamation to complete an infrastructure needs assessment report every two years. The report would include an itemized list of major repair and rehabilitation needs at each of its facilities, a cost estimate, and a categorical safety rating to indicate the importance of addressing each issue. The Valadao bill (H.R. 2749) would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to evaluate and fund additional project benefits, like expanding storage capacity, as part of safety modifications under the Safety of Dams program.
