Chairwoman Johnson Opening Statement for Energy and Water Research Integration Act Markup
(Washington, DC) – Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy is holding a markup of H.R. 34, the “Energy and Water Research Integration Act of 2019.”
Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson's (D-TX) opening statement for the record is below.
Good afternoon and thank you, Chairman Lamb, for holding this mark-up to advance legislation that prioritizes the relationship between water, one of our most valuable natural resources, and our energy systems.
Energy plays an important role in the extraction, treatment, and transportation of water, and is also used in many stages and types of electricity generation. In my home state of Texas, limited water supplies require us to balance the water needs between our large energy industry, agricultural communities, and rapidly growing population. Moreover, climate change will further strain this balance as more frequent droughts and heat waves reduce water availability and increase demand.
That is why I am pleased these issues received serious attention during this Subcommittee’s hearing entitled “The Energy Water Nexus: Drier Watts and Cheaper Drops” just a few weeks ago. The hearing brought together esteemed experts, several being from the Great State of Texas I might add, who reinforced our understanding that freshwater is a dwindling resource that we must more thoughtfully consume, and that great consideration is needed when planning the future of our energy systems and our water use.
For these reasons, I have been working for many years in Congress to address to this important issue through my work in developing the Energy and Water Research Integration Act. I am excited to send this bill to the Full Committee today with my friend and co-sponsor Ranking Member Lucas. The bill instructs the Department of Energy to incorporate the consideration of water use and treatment into all of its relevant research, development, and demonstration programs. It also provides direction to coordinate with other relevant agencies, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, States, and industry to ensure that we are giving this issue sufficient attention, resources, and guidance moving forward.
I want to thank Chairman Lamb once again for convening this mark-up, and I look forward to moving forward with legislation that helps to address these critical issues at the nexus of energy and water.
With that, I yield back.
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