Bill · S. 386· Senate(119-S-386)
Critical Water Resources Prioritization Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 2/4/2025
- Last activity
- 2/4/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Sponsored by
- Cynthia Lummis
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Critical Water Resources Prioritization Act of 2025 proposes to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973. It seeks to create exemptions from specific consultation requirements for agency actions that address critical human water needs. These needs include municipal drinking water, emergency services, public health and safety, and food security. To receive an exemption, a water management agency must demonstrate that the requirements conflict with the water need and that no other reasonable alternatives exist. The Secretary has the authority to grant these exemptions for specific periods of time.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+3
The bill prioritizes water resources necessary to maintain public health and safety.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+2
The bill aims to secure essential water for food security and public health.
Would people in cities be better off under this?+2
The bill prioritizes municipal drinking water supplies as a critical need.
The opposite
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?-5
The bill allows exemptions from Endangered Species Act consultation requirements, potentially reducing protections for at-risk species.
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?-3
The bill limits judicial review of exemptions to only arbitrary and capricious agency actions.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Meeting essential human requirements: The bill identifies several critical water needs that could be addressed more easily through exemptions, such as municipal drinking water supplies, emergency services like firefighting, public health and safety, and food security (Section 2(a)(1)(A)).
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Streamlined water management: By allowing exemptions when consultation requirements directly conflict with fulfilling a critical human water need, the bill provides a way for water management agencies to address urgent needs more quickly (Section 2(a)(2)(A)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Impacts on species protection: While the bill requires a plan to minimize adverse impacts, it allows for exemptions that could affect species protected under the Endangered Species Act (Section 2(a)(2)(C)(i)).
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Limited judicial recourse: Any action taken under these exemptions is subject to judicial review only for arbitrary and capricious agency action, which limits the scope of legal challenges (Section 2(a)(5)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Urban Residents+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+2Improves Environmental Protections-5
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Due Process-3
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- 2/4/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
John BarrassoRepublican · Wyoming
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana