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1 1 (January 8, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govebsz0001 and id is 1 raw text is: I $ Info mYg hel ~ I P ~nce 4 Updated January 8, 2021 Bureau of Reclamation: FY2021 Appropriations Overview The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), part of the Department ofthe Interior, is responsible for construction and operation of many of the large dams and water diversion structures in 17 coterminous western states. Reclamation's original missionwas to develop water supplies, primarily for irrigation to reclaim arid lands in the West. Today, its mis sion includes management, development, andprotection of water and related resources. Reclamation's miss ion areas and geographic s cope are narrower than the other principal federal water resource agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Reclamation manages hundreds of water storage and conveyance projects. These projects provide water to approximately 10 million acres of farmland and 31 million people. Reclamation is the largest wholesale supplier of waterin 17 western states andthe second-largest hydroelectric power producer in the nation. Reclamation facilities' operations canbe controversial, particularly in relation to effects on fish and wildlife species and conflicts among competing water users. Reclamation's role has evolved, and its focus has gradually shifted fromconstruction ofnew water storage projects to operation and maintenance of existing projects. Reclamation also has exp anded into new areas, including funding for water supply projects on tribal lands and in rural areas under congressionally authorized Indian water rights settlements and rural water supply projects, respectively. In addition, Congress has authorized Reclamation grants to nonfederal projects, including those for waterreuse andrecycling, conservation andefficiency, and desalination. Reclamation's WaterandRelatedResources accountfunds most agency activities, including construction, operation and maintenance, dams afety, ecosystemres toration, Indian water rights settlements, and mos t programmatic and grant authorities. Reclamation typically also requests funding for three smaller accounts: California Bay -Delta Restoration, the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund (which is offset by customerreceipts), and thePolicy and Administration account. FY202 I Budget and Appro priations The President's budgetre quest for FY2021 proposed $1.13 billion in gross current authority (i.e., appropriations before offsets) for Reclamation. In H.R. 7617, the House recommended $1.655 billion for Reclamation in FY2021. In its draft FY2021 Energy and Water Development bill, the Senate Appropriations Committee included $1.691 billion, and Congress included $1.691 billion in the final enactedbill (P.L. 116-260). Figure 1 shows recent enacted appropriations levels for Reclamation comp ared with FY2021 proposed and enacted appropriations. Figure I. Reclamation Appropriations by Account, FY20 1 7-FY202 I (nominal $ in millions) e $1,800 $1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0 California Bay- Delta CVPRF Policy and Administration Water and Resources $60 a aiPoliy an $40 Adminitratio Fs I- I- N N N F T Fiscal Year M N U1Fs Source: CRS, based on Reclamation's FY2021 budget request and proposed and enacted appropriations data. Note: Does not reflect offsetting receipts forthe Central Valley Project Restoration Fund (CVPRF). Earmarks and Reclamation The Water and Related Resources account consists largely of individualprojectfunding lines. Since the 112th Congress, these projects have been subject to earmark moratoriums that restrict Congress fromfunding geographically specific project line items that the Administration did notrequest.In lieu of these additions, since FY2014, Congress has included additionalfunding in appropriations bills beyond the President's budgetre quest for selected categories of Reclamation projects. The Administration typically allocates these funds in workplans made available severalmonths after Congress enacts appropriations bills. Workplans are available at http://www.usbr.gov/budget/. Workplans pursuantto recent enacted appropriations bills have continued the practice ofproviding additional funds for allocation on specific projects. This funding increased each year fromFY2017 to FY2020 (Figure 2). For FY2021, the House recommended $389 million for additional Reclamation projects, and the draft Senate Appropriations Committee bill included $433 million for these projects. In P.L. 116-260, Congress included $428 million for additional Reclamation projects, slightly less than FY2020. https://crs reports.congress.gc

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