Cortez Masto Propels Bill to Introduce Water Management Innovations
TL/DR –
US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s bipartisan Open Access Evapotranspiration (OpenET) Act has passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The bill aims to make water data more accessible to help conserve resources and combat drought, particularly in the West. The OpenET Act would create a Department of the Interior program to use publicly-available data to provide estimates of water consumption, aiding financial viability of agricultural operations during drought and promoting conservation and sustainability.
Washington, D.C. – The bipartisan Open Access Evapotranspiration (OpenET) Act, spearheaded by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), successfully progressed through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The Act aims to democratize water data, making it a valuable asset for farmers, ranchers, and policymakers in their efforts to conserve water and manage drought in the West. The Act will next be presented to the full Senate for consideration.
Stating the significance of this bipartisan legislation, Senator Cortez Masto noted: “Climate change has amplified the devastating impacts of drought across the West. Our aim is to optimize our water resources use. This Act will enhance the accessibility of crucial water data for our ranchers and water authorities, aiding in the protection of our water supply. We will keep pushing to get this legislation approved.”
The innovative OpenET Act proposes the creation of a Department of the Interior program. The program will utilize publicly-available data from satellites and weather stations to estimate evapotranspiration (ET)—a key parameter of water consumed and removed from a water system. This program will safeguard the economic viability of agricultural enterprises during drought, support water users in devising accurate budgets for conservation and sustainability, and assist groundwater managers in making informed decisions for water conservation in Nevada.
The text of the bill is available HERE.
Senator Cortez Masto has staunchly advocated for drought management measures. She has secured $4 billion for drought combat measures for states along the Colorado River through the Inflation Reduction Act and contributed to the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This law allocates historic funding levels for water and wastewater infrastructure enhancements across the nation over the ensuing five years. She has also enabled the establishment of a $450 million competitive grant program for large-scale water recycling projects across the Western U.S.
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