{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-water-rights-protection-bill-gets-senate-sponsor", "Tipton Water Rights Protection Bill Gets Senate Sponsor", "2013-10-31", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "CO", "Scott Tipton", "T000470", "tipton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced companion legislation to Congressman Tipton\u2019s (R-CO) Water Rights Protection Act (H.R.3189) adding further momentum to the bipartisan effort to prevent federal agencies from requiring privately held water rights be turned over to the federal government.\nTipton introduced H.R. 3189, the Water Right Protection Act, in September with bipartisan support, and it has been endorsed by a broad coalition of local, state and national stakeholders.\n\u201cFederal attempts to undermine the long-held state water law that protects the many uses vital to Western States are creating uncertainty and jeopardizing the livelihoods of communities, individuals, and businesses responsible for thousands of jobs. It\u2019s unacceptable that federal agencies are engaging in nefarious tactics to extort privately-held water rights,\u201d said Rep. Tipton. \u201cSenator Barrasso and I share a deep commitment to defending Western water rights, and I\u2019m pleased to work with him to advance the bipartisan Water Rights Protection Act. The introduction of a Senate companion adds further momentum to our effort to protect users from federal takings and restore needed certainty by ensuring that all non-federal water rights are upheld.\u201d\n\u201cOnce again, Washington is attempting to take over Western water rights with another federal water power grab,\u201d said Sen. Barrasso. \u201cThis time their tactics are basically extortion.\u00a0The Administration is holding public land-use permits hostage in an attempt to acquire private water rights. Chicago-style politics aren\u2019t welcome in the West and we won\u2019t sit back and let Washington attempt to bully our farmers, ranchers and other multiple use permit holders. Congress needs to pass our bill immediately and prevent Washington from extorting Americans\u2019 private water rights.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\nThe Water Rights Protection Act:\n Prohibits agencies from implementing a permit condition that requires the transfer of privately-held water rights to the federal government in order to receive or renew a permit for the\u00a0use of land;\n\tProhibits the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from imposing other conditions that require the transfer of water rights without just compensation;\n\tUpholds longstanding federal deference to state water law;\n\tHas no cost to taxpayers.\n Endorsements to date: National Ski Areas Association, American Farm Bureau, National Cattlemen\u2019s Beef Association, Family Farm Alliance, Public Lands Council, National Association of Conservation Districts, Pacific Northwest Ski Area Association, California Ski Industry Association, Colorado Water Congress, Colorado Ski Country USA, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, Colorado River Water Conservation District, Southwestern Water Conservation District, Rio Grande Water Conservation District, Rio Grande Watershed Association of Conservation Districts, Montrose County Commissioners, Mesa County Commissioners, Montezuma County Commissioners, Conejos County Commissioners, Gunnison County Commissioners, Rio Grande County Commissioners, Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company, Garfield County Commissioners, Aspen Ski Company, Durango Mountain Resort, Crested Butte Mountain Resort, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, Center Conservation District\u00a0and Club 20.\nBackground:\nThe U.S. Forest Service is attempting to require the transfer of privately-held water rights to the federal government as a permit condition on National Forest System lands. There is no compensation for the transfer of these privately-held rights despite the fact that many stakeholders have invested millions of their own capital in developing them.\nThe Forest Service permit condition has already hurt a number of stakeholders in Colorado including the Powderhorn Ski Area in Grand Junction and the Breckenridge Ski Resort. Despite having been excellent stewards of the environment and their water rights, the Forest Service has demanded the relinquishment of state-granted water rights from these ski areas in order to continue their operations.\nThe same nefarious tactics have been used in Utah, Nevada, and other Western states where agencies have required surrender of possession of water rights in exchange for approving the conditional use of grazing allotments. This federal water grab has broad implications that have begun to extend beyond recreation and the farming and ranching community, and are now threatening municipalities and other businesses.\nThe Forest Service claims that it is implementing the agency permit condition to prevent water rights from being sold off and used improperly, however according Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, there have never been any such cases where the rights have been used improperly. In a November 2011 hearing, Tipton asked Tidwell if there were any examples of this occurring in the past, to which Tidwell responded with a resounding, \u201cNo.\u201d Furthermore, it was shown that the language of the water clause offers no guarantee that the Forest Service could not divert water to other locations or direct water for another purpose altogether.\nDuring a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation hearing on Threats, Intimidation and Bullying by Federal Land Managing Agencies, this week, witnesses testified that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has also attempted to take privately held water rights. 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