PHOENIX—Congressmen Greg Stanton and a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers re-introduced the Help Hoover Dam Act this week. The legislation would allow the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to access about $50 million in unused, long-stranded funds for Hoover Dam operations, maintenance, and improvement projects.
He is joined in this effort by Congressmen Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) and Mark Amodei (NV-02), Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03), and Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto.
“Arizonans rely on the nearly 100-year-old Hoover Dam to store precious Colorado River water, generate affordable electricity and protect against dangerous flooding,” said Congressman Stanton. “Our bipartisan, common-sense legislation unlocks needed federal funds for operations, maintenance and improvement so it can continue to serve Arizonans for generations to come.”
Tens of millions of dollars in the Colorado River Dam Fund have been inaccessible for decades due to bureaucracy, federal red tape, and government inefficiency. 40 million people depend on the Colorado River for water and 1.3 million people in Arizona, Nevada, and California depend on the Hoover Dam for electricity.
The Help Hoover Dam Act will:
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Invest these funds in the Hoover Dam — helping save taxpayer dollars, protect Western water and other natural resources.
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Give Reclamation clear authority to partner with Hoover hydropower contractors in recovering and utilizing these stranded funds for authorized activities — including operations, maintenance, capital improvements, and clean-up actions — at Hoover Dam and lands connected to the dam.
The Help Hoover Dam Act is endorsed by the American Public Power Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Colorado River Commission of Nevada, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the Irrigation and Electrical Districts Association of Arizona, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and others.
"The Hoover Dam is critical to southern Arizona's water supply and provides clean and affordable hydropower to the Western United States," said Congressman Ciscomani. "As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Colorado River Caucus, I am proud to support this commonsense solution to allow the Bureau of Reclamation to access millions in unused funds for the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the Hoover Dam."
“The Hoover Dam is a monument to the idea that America can and will invest in infrastructure that improves the lives of its people,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The dam and its powerplant serve residents across Nevada, Arizona, and California. It’s past time we cut the red tape, unlock the $50 million in unused funds to improve and maintain the dam, and save taxpayer dollars.”
“The Help Hoover Dam Act will cut through federal red tape and free tens of millions of dollars in long-stranded funding for Hoover Dam improvement projects. This is government efficiency,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Our bill is about keeping energy prices from going up, protecting our natural resources, and saving taxpayers money.”
"For nearly a century, Hoover Dam has been vital to delivering clean, reliable power and drinking water to communities across the West,” said Congressman Amodei. “This bipartisan legislation provides a cost-effective, commonsense approach to ensuring the dam receives the essential upkeep needed to continue quality service to the millions who rely on it."