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Miller bill could have expanded CA water supply
170 vote against expanded water supply for drought-stricken California
Republicans attempt to score political points and delay House passage of non-controversial bill to provide enough water for 24,000 households
WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez) issued the following statement after congressional Republicans voted against his non-controversial legislation to provide alternative water supplies to California:
"When it comes to providing clean water to California, congressional Republicans have now shown their true colors. The legislation that the House voted on today would supply California with much-needed funding for alternative water supplies -- but congressional Republicans just said no.
"The water projects authorized in this bill will provide 2.6 billion gallons of water per year for drought-stricken California, adding enough water to the system to meet the needs of 24,225 households. But 169 Republicans voted against it.
“Instead, congressional Republicans decided to pull the same old political games and showed a complete lack of understanding of the issues at hand – the measure they defeated today could have added significant water supplies to California's Central Valley Project system.
"California is in the third year of a serious drought and we're putting an inordinate amount of pressure on the Bay-Delta and on the water system as a whole. Finding solutions for these issues are too important for political stunts.
"We will bring up the bill again and pass it, but Rep. Nunes and his fellow obstructionists have delayed progress for California water issues - they have voted against jobs for Californians, they have voted against expanding water supplies, they have voted against developing new technology, and they have voted against expanding our economy. They have nothing to offer California but partisan stunts. They may have delayed this bill, but they will not defeat it."
H.R. 2442, the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act of 2009, builds on a successful partnership that Congress has already authorized – adding six additional water recycling projects for the Bay Area that would provide 7.2 million gallons of water per day. Water recycling projects allow local water managers to treat wastewater and use the clean, recycled water for landscape irrigation and other uses, including at golf courses, and city parks.
For more information on the bill, go to: http://georgemiller.house.gov/news/2009/05/new_legislation_would_expand_i.html.
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Posted by Peake, Amy at 11:31PM | Comments () | TrackBack (0)
