Sec. 101. Findings
359 words·~2 min read·
/bill/116/s/4188/is/section-101·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds that— everyone has the right to clean and safe drinking water and appropriate sanitation services; and the Federal Government has the responsibility to ensure that the rights described in subparagraph
(A)are realized; water is an essential resource for farms, cities, and the environment; in order to responsibly and sustainably manage water, all different types of water, including water that is stored, drinking water, flood waters, wastewater, recycled water, and other types, should be taken into account; climate change will increase the vulnerability of water supplies for communities and the environment by— increasing the frequency and magnitude of droughts and extreme precipitation events; increasing air temperatures; and changing the patterns and volume of precipitation; the water infrastructure of the United States needs additional investment given the age of the infrastructure and emerging issues, such as climate change; a diverse portfolio of water management, storage, recycling, and reuse techniques can help to sustainably and responsibly manage water in the United States; reducing water diversions from rivers and lakes is important to sustain— native fish and wildlife; and the communities and Native American Tribes that depend on a healthy environment; a sustainable water supply relies on— environmentally sound water storage projects; protection of clean water programs; financing for new technologies; developments and funding for water recycling and reuse projects; improvements to wastewater systems and flood management; increased conservation programs and water efficiency; and instream flows of adequate quality and quantity that protect native fish and wildlife and the environment; the entire Western United States is facing projections of prolonged droughts that will leave Western States facing major water shortages and catastrophic wildfires; recent periods of severe drought in the Western States have occurred with higher temperatures and reduced snowpack; the Colorado River has been under drought conditions since 2000; the chances of a climate change-induced megadrought striking the Southwest and central Great Plains are on the rise; and robust Federal investment and support is needed to assist the Western States in developing future drought resiliency in the face of climate change, which will continue to exacerbate existing water supply challenges in an already arid region of the United States.