HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.24.25 Board Correspondence - FW_ September in Review_ Water, Forests, and Wildfire Relief.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening attachments, clicking on links, or replying..
From:Clerk of the Board
To:Clerk of the Board; Connelly, Bill; Cook, Holly; Cook, Robin; Durfee, Peter; Jessee, Meegan; Kimmelshue, Tod; Kitts, Melissa; Krater, Sharleen; Lee, Lewis; Little, Melissa; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.; Sweeney, Kathleen; Teeter, Doug; Zepeda, Elizabeth
Cc:Loeser, Kamie
Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: September in Review: Water, Forests, and Wildfire Relief
Date:Thursday, September 25, 2025 8:10:42 AM
Please see Board Correspondence -
From: Congressman Doug LaMalfa <CA01DL.Outreach@mail.house.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 8:23 PM
To: Clerk of the Board <clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net>
Subject: September in Review: Water, Forests, and Wildfire Relief
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About Contact Services Media Center Legislation Issues Resources
September in Review: Water, Forests, and Wildfire Relief
Water Storage
The House Energy & Water Appropriations bill included key investments to improve water supply in Northern California. During debate on this bill, two amendments I offered were approved. The first provides $3 million to help launch a Forecast-
Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) study at Shasta Dam. This study will look at how the dam is operated and could allow more water to be stored during winter and spring, instead of being released downstream only to be lost to the ocean. The
second provides $2 million to help fund a safety study at Black Butte Dam, the first step toward adding spillway gates and increasing storage by 100,000 acre-feet.
I also met with Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle where I emphasized these priorities and the need to fully reopen recreation areas at Black Butte and to get Sites Reservoir built. These projects will help ensure local water
is available when and where it’s needed most, supporting farms, families, as well as the environment, and ensuring public lands and remain open to the public for recreation.
Watch my floor remarks here.
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Orland Project Water
The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on H.R. 4970, the Orland Project Water Management Act, which I introduced to make better use of water from the Orland Project in Glenn County. Witnesses discussed how transferring
otherwise unused surplus water to the Central Valley Project could support local farms and reduce reliance on groundwater.
Under current federal law, water from the Orland Project can only be transferred during state-declared drought emergencies. Yet there is often surplus water in the project that goes unused. This bill updates the law to allow transfers whenever
surplus water is available, not just in drought years, ensuring that existing supplies are put to work instead of wasted. That surplus water does not take away from Orland’s needs and can be put to better use across our region to support farmers and
help with groundwater recharge. Otherwise, it simply flows out to the Pacific and is lost—and no one likes wasted water.
Watch my remarks in committee here.
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Wildfire Tax Relief
I introduced H.R. 5225, the Protect Innocent Victims of Taxation After Fire Extension Act. This bipartisan bill extends protections for wildfire survivors through 2032, building on last year’s Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act. It ensures survivors aren’t
taxed on payments meant to cover disaster-related losses, living expenses, or compensation for injury or emotional distress.
The bill also allows survivors to exempt these payments from their taxable income in the year received, instead of amending prior returns and waiting for a refund from the IRS. People who lose everything in a wildfire shouldn’t face added stress
from the IRS. This legislation gives families certainty so they can focus on rebuilding.
Forestry and Wildfire Resiliency
I was pleased to lead a hearing in the Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee titled “Promoting Forest Health and Resiliency Through Improved Active Management.” Witnesses discussed national, state, and private forests and offered
recommendations on how Congress can encourage more active management. The focus: restore forest health, expand the use of forest products, and reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires.
Across the West, wildfires continue to burn millions of acres each year, often in areas where hazardous fuels have built-up over decades. The hearing highlighted the need for partnerships, higher timber harvest levels, and full use of authorities
from last year’s farm bill. This hearing builds on legislation, like the TORCH Act, I introduced earlier this year to accomplish these goals to help protect forests, private property, rural economies, and the lives of families in high-risk areas.
Watch my opening remarks here.
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Keeping the Government Funded
To round out the month, the House passed a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government running through November 21st. Continuing Resolutions are never ideal. They’re a stopgap, not a solution, but a shutdown would have stalled
the work Congress has started and wasted taxpayer dollars. After years of gridlock, appropriations bills are finally moving through committee, and this extension keeps that momentum going.
There’s still more work to do, but these steps keep federal policy focused on results that matter for Northern California families, farmers, and taxpayers.
Sincerely,Image
Doug LaMalfa
Member of Congress
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