U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today secured Committee approval of several water quality and drought control projects for communities in Utah amid severe and extreme drought conditions throughout the state.
The EPW Committee passed the following measures for Utah localities during a markup on this year’s Water Resources Development Act (WRDA):
- Moab: A feasibility study for flood risk management along Mill Creek and Pack Creek.
- Centerville: $20 million for environmental infrastructure, including water and wastewater infrastructure, water supply, stormwater management, water quality enhancements, and aquifer storage and recovery infrastructure.
- Ephraim: $20 million for environmental infrastructure, including water and wastewater infrastructure.
The transcript is below.
“Utah is in a record drought. Everywhere I go, it’s “water, water, water, water.” And I think in many cases, as [there are] many pressing problems we have as a country and as a state, water still rises to the top.
So, I’m very pleased, particularly for the communities of Ephraim and Centerville, who will benefit from this in their ability to bring clean water to the residents and otherwise would not be able to do it without this bill.
So, I’d like to thank the Committee, the staff, [and] the Ranking Member yourself for making this possible.
I’d also like to point out the Great Salt Lake and the impending needs there, and I look forward to furthering discussions with this Committee and other members to see how we can save a very, very important asset in the West.
It’s an environmental issue. It’s a standard of living issue. On many, many levels this is important and a very important role.
And what I’m pleased with the Great Salt Lake is that my state’s not just waiting for the federal government. I have philanthropic help. I have local community help. I have state government help. Everybody is leaning into this, and I’m grateful the federal government is willing to lean in as well.”
