Mark Kelly, John Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill Expanding Border Groundwater Research

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and John Cornyn (R-TX) have introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill reauthorizing and expanding the federal research program into groundwater along the United States-Mexico border.

What the Bill Does

The Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program Act (TAAP), which was first authorized in 2006, allows American and Mexican agencies and universities to cooperate in collecting transboundary aquifer data and research on water quality, availability, and other critical information for people on both sides of the border who are using these water sources for drinking, agriculture, and industry.

What Lawmakers are Saying

"Communities along the U.S.-Mexico border depend on shared groundwater resources for drinking water, agriculture, and economic growth. But too often, we don't have the information we need to fully understand and manage these aquifers," said Sen. Kelly in a press release. "Reauthorizing this program will strengthen the research and data that help communities make informed decisions and improve water security on both sides of the border."

Similarly, Sen. Cornyn said, "Transboundary aquifers are essential to the success of our nation's agriculture industry and vital to the well-being of Texans living along certain portions of the U.S.-Mexico border, but we don't have all of the information we need to responsibly utilize this critical water source."

"By reauthorizing the United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program, we will be able to ensure access to these aquifers so they can support communities for years to come," Sen. Cornyn concluded.

Kelly's Previous Water Bill

In March, Sen. Kelly introduced the Community Water Project Acceleration Act, which streamlines federal review requirements for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Civil Works projects with limited federal funding, a system modeled after the one used for federal highway projects.

Additionally, the bill creates an exemption to water projects from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) if the federal contribution is less than $6 million, if it is less than 15% of the total project cost, and only if the work is being conducted by a non-federal sponsor.