Senator Steve Daines today introduced legislation that would move Montana rural water projects forward and ensure the completion of authorized projects across Montana.
The Western Water Supply and Planning Enhancement Act is a bill that would help improve the efficiency of existing water supply infrastructure, ease the regulatory burden on new projects and protect water rights that are critical to the prosperity of the western United States.
“If I told you that today, over 22,000 Montanan’s lack access to a steady supply of water, you’d be angry,” Daines stated. “That’s why I introduced legislation that will provide a steady supply of water supply to irrigate our crops, water our livestock and generate clean energy through hydropower.”
The Western Water Supply and Planning Enhancement Act also includes the Irrigate Act, which Daines introduced last year. The Irrigate Act would create an Indian Irrigation Fund that would help facilitate irrigation projects, particularly those with deferred maintenance, throughout Indian Country.