21st Century Water Planning: The Importance of a Coordinated Federal Approach
Opening Statement By Chairman Bart Gordon
Good morning and welcome to today’s hearing on 21st Century Water Planning.
The most recent outlook issued by NOAA’s National Center for Environmental Prediction indicates that drought conditions will continue to plague a number of states and regions throughout the United States. California, the central plains of Texas and Oklahoma, and the southeastern states of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida are all likely to experience drought conditions in the coming months.
Constraints on water supplies are taking a toll on society, our economy, and the environment. Water is too valuable a resource for us to manage in a crisis-by-crisis fashion.
Recent reports of California’s water shortages carry dire predictions. This year's drought is projected to be one of the most severe in California’s recorded history. On February 20th, the Bureau of Reclamation announced further cut backs in water supplied to municipalities and agriculture for the state.
Differing forecast scenarios predict a substantial impact to California’s agricultural economy and indicating that some areas will receive no water this year. As a result, agriculture losses could reach $3 billion in 2009 and water delivery reductions could result in a loss of 80,000 jobs.
We need to take decisive action to ensure that the United States can meet the water challenges of 2009 and beyond.
Last Congress, this Committee brought attention to water supply challenges by holding hearings and introducing legislation to address technological and strategic deficiencies at the federal level.
Economic recovery legislation, recently signed by President Obama, included significant and long-overdue funds for states and localities to improve water infrastructure. Upgrading and repair of water delivery and treatment systems will conserve water, improve public health, and create jobs.
This is a good start, but we must do more. We need new tools to evaluate the status of our water infrastructure and our water supplies. We need efficient and effective technologies and management practices to improve water quality. And we must learn to use water efficiently. We need a national water policy, and research and development must be an integral part of that policy. Research and development are key ingredients to sound water resource management.
At the end of the last Congress I introduced legislation to establish a National Water Research and Development Initiative. I reintroduced this legislation last week.
H.R. 1145 incorporates recommendations from a 2004 report by the National Academy of Sciences and from witnesses who appeared before our Committee in the last Congress.
This legislation will ensure that the 20 federal agencies that are conducting and funding research and development activities on water will coordinate their efforts to achieve the goal of managing our water resources for the benefit of our nation.
We have an excellent panel of witnesses with us this morning who will share their views on what we need to do as a nation to manage our water resources effectively and efficiently. I thank you all for being with us here today, and I look forward to your suggestions for addressing the challenges of water management through federal legislation and leadership.
Witnesses
Panel
0 - Dr. Peter Gleick
President Pacific Institute Pacific Institute
Download the Witness Testimony
0 - Mr. Mark Modzelewski
Co-founder Water Innovations Alliance Water Innovations Alliance
Download the Witness Testimony
0 - Dr. Henry Vaux, Jr.
Professor Emeritus University of California at Berkeley University of California at Berkeley
Download the Witness Testimony
0 - Ms. Nancy Stoner
Co-Director Water Program National Resources Defense Council Water Program National Resources Defense Council
Download the Witness Testimony
0 - Ms. Christine Furstoss
General Manager Technology GE Water & Process Technologies Technology GE Water & Process Technologies
Download the Witness Testimony