U.S. House OK’s Streamlining Water Project Permit Process

Water agencies in Colorado are singing the praises of a bill passed Thursday in the U.S. House of Representatives that would streamline the permitting process for major water projects.H.B. 1654, introduced in April by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., would make establish the federal Bureau of Reclamation as the lead agency for permitting water storage projects and coordinate the interests of all federal agencies in the permitting process. It also would coordinate information among federal, state and local governments to reduce redundant requirements in the process.