Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Protect America's Forests and Watersheds

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, Mike Crapo, Ben Ray Lujan, and James Risch recently introduced the bipartisan Headwaters Protection Act, aimed at investing in America's forests and watersheds. This legislation seeks to expand two key U.S. Forest Service programs, the Water Source Protection Program (WSPP) and the Watershed Condition Framework (WCF). By improving these programs, the bill aims to prevent water pollution at the source, enhance the health of watersheds, and ensure that investments benefit downstream communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Headwaters Protection Act targets the U.S. Forest Service's Water Source Protection Program (WSPP) and the Watershed Condition Framework (WCF) to improve forest and watershed health.
  • The bill increases and expands access to funding for the WSPP, raising the authorization of appropriations from $10 million per year to $30 million per year.
  • The legislation prioritizes local, collaborative partnerships to protect forests and watersheds, while broadening the range of water users who can participate in and benefit from the WSPP.
  • Specifically, the bill would:

+ Reauthorize the WSPP and enlarge its appropriation to $30 million per year

+ Broaden the pool of water users eligible to participate in the WSPP

+ Lower financial barriers for water users to join the WSPP

+ Give priority to WSPP projects that improve drinking water quality and resilience to wildfire and climate change

+ Make a technical adjustment to the WCF to prevent long-term degradation of watersheds

+ Assign $30 million in new annual appropriations for the WCF

Statistics:

  • Current authorization of appropriations for the WSPP is $10 million per year
  • Proposed new authorization of appropriations for the WSPP is $30 million per year
  • Authorized annual funding for the WCF, under the Headwaters Protection Act, is $30 million
  • The U.S. Forest Service relies on the WSPP and WCF to manage forests for watershed health and protect clean drinking water

Sources:

  • Hickenlooper, J. (2022). Press Release: Senators Introduce Bipartisan Headwaters Protection Act to Protect America's Forests and Watersheds.
  • U.S. Forest Service. (n.d.). Water Source Protection Program.