WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after both the Senate and the House passed the Colorado River Basin Drought Contingency Plan Bill:
“Thanks to rapid, bipartisan cooperation among the Colorado River basin state delegations, this critical piece of bipartisan legislation is heading to the president’s desk. This bill will enable the new Drought Contingency Plan to go into place soon, benefitting all the river’s water users in the long run, from Indian Tribes and farmers, to the communities of Santa Fe and Albuquerque, along with our ecosystems and wildlife. As a result of close collaboration between the Colorado River Basin states, federal government, and Indian Tribes, the Drought Contingency plan helps secure sustainable water supplies throughout the Southwest, minimizing future conflicts and litigation at a time when climate change is making New Mexico and the Southwest hotter and drier— putting a strain on our already scarce water resources. In New Mexico, we know how vital this precious resource is to preserving our economy, our environment, and our way of life in the West – I applaud the swift passage of this legislation and look forward to it being signed into law.”
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