American Rivers Statement on New Mexico Drought Bill Introduction

June 12, 2014

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(Washington, DC) – New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich today introduced the New Mexico Drought Relief Act of 2014. The bill promotes innovative approaches to water management that will help keep water in rivers to benefit fish and wildlife while supporting rural economies.

In addition to initiating a study by the National Academy of Sciences to identify barriers to optimizing river health and water use, the bill reauthorizes the Department of Interior’s WaterSMART Program and leverages critical Farm Bill conservation programs to mitigate the impacts of drought, help restore rivers, and ensure clean water supplies while protecting working farms and rural economies.

American Rivers President Bob Irvin released the following statement:

“We thank Senators Udall and Heinrich for taking a thoughtful, comprehensive approach to addressing persistent drought and securing water supplies that will benefit people while maintaining healthy rivers.”

“Rivers and communities are threatened by water scarcity brought on by persistent drought and growing demand. The solutions in this bill are the kinds of steps we need to be taking in New Mexico and across the West.”

About American Rivers

American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.

Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.