KOLO: Nevada’s Lee help introduce bill that would expand Army Corps drought relief efforts

WASHINGTON D.C. (KOLO) - Nevada Representative Susie Lee has helped introduce a bill that would provide new resources and authorities through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support communities experiencing long-term drought.

Lee, along with Representatives Greg Stanton of Arizona, Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, and Dina Titus of Nevada introduced the Drought Resilient Infrastructure Act. Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate, in part by U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen.

The bill would enable the Army Corps to:

• Prioritize water conservation or storage efforts at Corps facilities
• Directs the Army Corps to prioritize these conservation efforts above other Corps missions such as flood control or combating invasive species, during times of drought
• Provide new Army Corps infrastructure programs to help states, counties, cities, tribes, and other water users build projects that respond to prevent worsening drought conditions

“Southern Nevada continues to deal with the effects of our worst drought in centuries, and we need bold solutions to protect our precious water, natural resources, and the hardworking families who depend on them,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Our bipartisan legislation will make sure the Army Corps of Engineers is using all of their tools and resources to combat drought, upgrade our infrastructure, and boost water conservation efforts.”