releases: https://mcadams.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=227
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
This data as json
| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://mcadams.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=227 | McAdams bill helps Utah fight invasive mussels threatening water systems | 2020-03-02 | 2020 | 2020-03 | Democrat | House | UT | Ben McAdams | M001209 | mcadams.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.Congressman Ben McAdams and Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) have introduced a measure to support the fight against an invasive species infesting western lakes and reservoirs, threatening water quality, quantity, and recreational opportunities. The Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act of 2019 is supported by the Western Governors Association, among others. Utah Governor Gary Herbert sent a letter of support for the measure, noting this is an important next step in the process. A bipartisan companion bill S. 2975has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Michael Bennett, Senator Jon Tester and Senator Steve Daines. Utah and other states have been fighting the spread of invasive quagga musselssmall, destructive mollusksfor years. They spread to uninfected waterways from contaminated boats and ballast tanks. Mussel infestations in water bodies within the Central Utah Project, which provides drinking water to the Wasatch Front, could cost tens of millions of dollars each year to control, threatening water quality and quantity. In Utah, we cherish the opportunity to enjoy boating, fishing and other family activities at our lakes and reservoirs and this destructive invader threatens that experience. It also threatens our considerable federal investment in water delivery systems that supply drinking water to hundreds of thousands of Utahns, said McAdams. Zebra and quagga mussels pose a huge threat to water systems in Colorado. While reservoirs in our state remain free of these nuisance species thanks to the diligent work of state inspectors, the number of mussel-infested boats and recreation equipment attempting to enter Colorado's waters is growing exponentially. This legislation will provide much needed resources up front to prevent catastrophic costs to our waterways and water delivery systems in the future. I'm glad to be a part of this bipartisan, bicameral effort, said Congressman Tipton. McAdams said much of the quagga mussel fight centers on areas such as Lake Powell within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a recreation and conservation unit of the National Park Service. The legislation authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to provide funds to purchase, operate or maintain watercraft inspection and decontamination stations to prevent the spread of the mussels. It also provides federal agencies such as the Army Corp of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation and others with the authority to inspect and decontaminate watercraft andif necessaryquarantine watercraft on federally-managed areas. It also creates opportunities for federal-state partnerships to accomplish prevention and containment goals. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |