Rep. Luz Rivas Blasts Trump Administration for Cutting WaterSMART Program

Proposed Cuts to WaterSMART Initiative

• 🎯 Representative Luz Rivas questions the decision process behind ending the WaterSMART program, a successful federal initiative that invests in communities and supports drought-resilient infrastructure.
• 💡 The program, overseen by the Bureau of Reclamation under the Department of the Interior, has a proven track record of supporting communities.

Budgetary Decisions and Prioritization

• 💰 A representative from the Department of the Interior explains that budgetary decisions are driven by targets from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
• 🛠️ The agency prioritizes its core missions, which are identified as water storage, conveyance construction, and providing power to customers.

Impact of Funding Pauses

• ⚠️ Rivas highlights reports showing that awardees were in the final stages of completing funding agreements when federal funding was paused.
• 📈 These funding delays place communities, particularly in Southern California, at higher risk for wildfires and increase water bills for families.
• ⏳ Communities are facing significant delays, with some waiting nearly three months for responses and funding for already approved projects.

Lack of Response and Accountability

• 🗣️ Rivas expresses frustration over the lack of response from the Department of the Interior regarding her inquiries about the funding cuts.
• 🔍 She notes that a letter sent on June 6th and a question posed directly to the Secretary during a hearing have not yet yielded a satisfactory response or timeline.
• ⏳ The department representative commits to tracking down the letter and providing a response as quickly as possible, acknowledging the extended waiting period.