Congress Delegation Allocates $60M for Rio Grande Water Security
TL/DR –
U.S. Senators and Representatives from New Mexico are announcing $60 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for drought mitigation and climate adaptation efforts in Doña Ana and Sierra County. The funding will be used to strengthen water security in the Rio Grande Basin, focusing on aquifer recharge, improving and reducing irrigation demands, and improving riparian habitat, as New Mexico and the West experience the impacts of climate change and drought. This announcement follows a series of pushes by the delegation for the Biden administration to support drought mitigation efforts, particularly for the Rio Grande.
US Senators Announce $60M for Drought Mitigation in New Mexico
WASHINGTON, D.C. — US Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, with U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández, Melanie Stansbury, and Gabe Vasquez, all Democrats from New Mexico, declare a $60 million funding from Inflation Reduction Act for drought relief and climate adaptation in Doña Ana and Sierra County. The initiative will bolster water security in the Rio Grande Basin.
Heinrich highlighted the frequent climate change effects on the Rio Grande, including shorter irrigation seasons and increased groundwater pumping. The Inflation Reduction Act funding will enable communities to better protect the Rio Grande by reducing irrigation demands and improving riparian habitat.
Luján emphasized the drought and climate change impacts on Western communities. He lauded the Inflation Reduction Act, which he helped pass, for its potential to mitigate the Rio Grande Basin’s drought effects. The $60 million funding would substantially protect resources in the future.
Leger Fernández described the funding as a necessary measure to mitigate climate change effects on the ecosystem and weather conditions in the Rio Grande Basin. She affirmed the importance of protecting vital resources and expressed gratitude towards Secretary Haaland for understanding the necessity.
Stansbury underscored the need for water in fighting drought, reducing wildfire damage, and supporting agricultural communities. She lauded the funding from the Inflation Reduction Act for providing more resources to protect the Rio Grande and the clean water supply it provides.
Vasquez, as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, stressed the importance of the Rio Grande as a significant water source for agricultural producers. He expressed optimism about the funding’s potential to protect the Rio and support local farmers.
Background:
This funding news follows a series of appeals by the delegation to the Biden administration urging for drought mitigation, especially in the Rio Grande. A letter in April called for further investments to tackle long-term drought due to climate change.
In December, Heinrich and Luján requested U.S. Secretary of the Interior (DOI) Deb Haaland to develop a comprehensive funding plan to support drought mitigation in the Rio Grande Basin. The senators asked for collaboration with local stakeholders to create a plan supporting locally led efforts.
In 2022, they wrote to DOI Assistant Secretary Tanya Trujillo, requesting that DOI allocate funds from the Inflation Reduction Act to address drought, resilience, and Tribal and Pueblo irrigation needs in the Rio Grande Basin. The Rio Grande supports the water needs of various sectors and a unique riparian ecosystem.
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