Members of Congress have reintroduced legislation that would protect private water rights.
Republican Reps. Celeste Maloy (UT-02), Ron Estes (KS-04), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Russ Fulcher (ID-01) and Andy Biggs (AZ-05) reintroduced the Water Rights Protection Act to prevent the federal government from seizing privately owned waters. Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY), Jim Risch (R-ID) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
“Unfortunately, federal agencies have a long history of undermining our water laws by requiring co-ownership of water rights as a condition for permit agreements on federal lands,” Maloy said in a statement.
The legislation would prevent the Interior and Agriculture departments from mandating water users transfer water rights to the U.S. or purchase water rights in the name of the U.S. as a condition of any permit, lease or other use agreement. The bill would also prevent unlawful seizures of groundwater and recognize state water law and require coordination with states.
