Bill protects private water rights users from federal takings
WASHINGTON – July 17, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Western Water and American Food Security Act (H.R. 2898) which includes Congressman Scott Tipton’s (R-CO) Water Rights Protection Act. The bill addresses a number of challenges posed to water resources in the Western United States including drought management, infrastructure, water rights and federal regulation. Tipton’s Water Rights Protection Act (H.R. 1830), incorporated in its entirety under title 11 of the Western Water and Food Security Act, would uphold state water law and priority-based systems and provide water users with a line of defense from increasing federal attempts to take or restrict access to private water rights without compensation.
“Water is the most precious resource we have in the arid West, and how we manage, protect and harness our water supply has implications on everything from growing crops to managing wildlife habitats, now and for many generations to come. By passing this needed legislation, we have taken a critical step forward toward protecting private water rights from federal takings, putting science at the center of our nation’s water management decisions, updating and expanding critical water infrastructure and allowing regulatory flexibility to respond to emergency drought situations,” said Tipton. “I am proud to have worked with my Western colleagues to craft this commonsense bill by contributing language to provide strong protections for private water rights, and urge the Senate to quickly move it to the President’s desk.”
Tipton, Vice Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, spoke on the House floor in support of the legislation prior to its passage, emphasizing the urgent need to implement permanent protections for private water rights as federal land management agencies continue attempts to circumvent state water law and priority-based systems.
“By extorting water rights from those who hold rights under state law, the federal government is overreaching, violating private property rights, and the United States Constitution. These tactics have been used to pilfer privately held water rights associated with agricultural production in the heart of rural America where farmers and ranchers rely on these rights to irrigate crops, provide water for cattle, and secure financing for their operations,” said Tipton. “Federal land management agency attempts to take or control private water rights, and circumvent state law, have put the ski community, grazers, municipalities and local businesses at risk of losing– without any compensation–the water rights they have developed, invested as much as hundreds of millions of dollars in, and rely on to survive. These private property rights are vital to Colorado and to the Western U.S. and many businesses depend on them as collateral to get loans, expand, and create jobs.”
More information on Tipton’s Water Rights Protection Act is available HERE.
