Colorado River conservation bill clears House committee

• A bill to support a Lower Colorado River conservation program has passed a House committee.
• The legislation allows state contributions to the program to be invested and earn interest.
• This change could generate millions in new revenue for habitat restoration projects.

Wednesday, July 18, 2025 – A bill designed to bolster the funding for a major conservation program on the Lower Colorado River cleared a significant legislative hurdle on July 15, 2025, passing the House Natural Resources Committee.

The legislation, H.R. 831, would authorize the U.S. Treasury to place funds contributed by Arizona, California, and Nevada into an interest-bearing account. This would allow the money to grow, providing additional resources for the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) at no new cost to taxpayers.

Bipartisan Support for a Financial Fix.

The bill, introduced by Congressman Ken Calvert of California in January 2025, has garnered widespread bipartisan support.

“As this bill continues to advance, we are closer to expanding the resources available for the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program,” Rep. Calvert stated in a press release. He described the measure as a “common-sense step.”

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas praised the legislation for its fiscal responsibility. “His work on the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program is just one example of this and will ensure the program is run responsibly while generating millions in new annual revenue,” Westerman said.

The support extends across the aisle and to the Senate, where Senator Alex Padilla of California introduced a companion bill. Original cosponsors of the House bill include Representatives Dina Titus, Susie Lee, and Steven Horsford of Nevada, along with Representative Greg Stanton of Arizona. The lawmakers have collectively emphasized the importance of maximizing taxpayer dollars for conservation, especially as drought conditions continue to stress the river system.

“As ongoing drought threatens the Colorado River’s water resources and increases project costs, allowing the program’s account to accrue interest is a simple, bipartisan solution,” Senator Padilla noted in a January 29, 2025, statement.

A Successful Program with Idle Funds.

The LCR MSCP is a 50-year,$626 million partnership between federal agencies, states, tribes, and local entities. Its purpose is to balance water and power needs with the conservation of 28 native species along the river from Lake Mead to the border with Mexico. The program, authorized in 2009, aims to create over 8,000 acres of habitat and has already established more than 5,000 acres of new riparian habitat.

Funding for the program is split, with the federal government covering 50 percent and the states of California, Arizona, and Nevada covering the other half. According to information from Rep. Calvert’s office, the states’ payments have outpaced project expenditures, resulting in an accumulated balance of over $60 million.

Under current law, these funds are held by the Bureau of Reclamation in an account that does not earn interest, effectively losing value over time to inflation. H.R. 831 would correct this by allowing the funds to be invested.

Praise from Water and Conservation Leaders.

Key stakeholders in the basin have voiced strong support for the legislation. Leaders from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Coachella Valley Water District have praised the bill as a forward-thinking measure that will enhance investments in the program.

The conservation community also sees value in the proposal.

“The Multi-Species Conservation Program has improved degraded river habitat conditions to create a more resilient Lower Colorado River,” said Jennifer Pitt, the National Audubon Society’s Colorado River Program Director, in a statement. “Allowing for smarter investment of the program’s funding will allow Colorado River partners to better protect water and habitat for threatened and endangered species.”

Following its approval by the committee, the bill can now be considered by the full House of Representatives.

Image:

Beamer Cabin along the Lower Colorado River-November 2023, Grand Canyon NPS.

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