Congressman Horsford Joins Vice President Harris to Push for Climate Action through the Build Back Better Agenda
LAKE MEAD, NEV. — Today, Congressman Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) joined Vice President Kamala Harris, Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-NV-03), and a representative from the Department of the Interior to tour Lake Mead and highlight the need for climate action through President Biden's Build Back Better Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.
"The historic drought at Lake Mead is a shocking example of the threat climate change poses to the West," . "For decades, Lake Mead has fed Las Vegas's economic growth and provided outdoor recreation opportunities to our families. Without climate action, all of that is at risk. I'm grateful to Vice President Harris for coming to Nevada to see our water crisis firsthand, and I look forward to working with the White House to pass the urgent climate investments in the Build Back Better Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. Together, these bills will create jobs, invest in Nevada's clean energy economy, and protect our environment for generations to come."
Background on the Lake Mead Water Crisis:
Lake Mead is the largest water reservoir in the United States and provides approximately 90 percent of Las Vegas's drinking water. Since 2000, water levels at Lake Mead have dropped 143 feet and the reservoir has lost 5.5 trillion gallons of water. This year, Lake Mead registered its lowest water level on record since it was filled in the 1930s. In August 2021, the federal government declared a federal water shortage at Lake Mead, cutting Nevada's water allocation by approximately seven percent.
Climate change is a fundamental contributor to the drought at Lake Mead. Each year, the reservoir loses around six feet of water to evaporation alone. If Lake Mead loses another 175 feet, water will no longer flow through the Hoover Dam, which provides power to approximately 1.3 million people.
Under the Build Back Better Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, the federal government would invest billions in drought relief and water infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal alone would provide Nevada with $403 million over five years to protect water supplies and ensure that clean, safe drinking water can reach every community.