[미국] 교화국, 서부 가뭄지역 물 보전에 5천만 달러 지원

오마바 정부의 가뭄을 겪고 있는 서부지역을 안정시키고자 하는 지속적인 노력의 한 일환으로 미국 내무장관 Sally Jewell은 교화국(Bureau of Reclamation)이 서부 주의 물 효율성 및 물 보전을 향상시키는 64개 프로젝트를 지원하는 데에 5천만 달러를 투자할 계획이라고 발표했다.

Jewell 장관은 “지금처럼 예외적인 가뭄을 겪고 있는 때에 주와 연방정부가 재정자원을 활용해 수자원을 파악할 수 있도록 하는 것은 매우 중요한 일”이라고 말했다.
 
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Reclamation investing $50M to help conserve water in drought-stricken west 
 
As part of the Obama Administration's continued effort to bring relief to western communities impacted by ongoing drought, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced that the Bureau of Reclamation will invest nearly $50 million to support 64 projects that involve improving water efficiency and water conservation in the state of California and 11 other western states.
 
"In a time of exceptional drought, it is absolutely critical that states and the federal government leverage our funding resources so that we can make each drop count," said Jewell. "Being 'water smart' means working together to fund sustainable water initiatives that use the best available science to improve water conservation and help water resource managers identify strategies to narrow the gap between supply and demand."
 
Joined by Nancy Sutley, Chief Sustainability and Economic Development Officer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the funding announcement was made on Wednesday, May 20, at the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys, Calif., where millions of gallons of wastewater are purified each day. Jewell, Sutley and Reclamation Commissioner Estevan Lopez emphasized the importance of federal-state partnerships to help work toward a more sustainable and resilient water future.
"Through the WaterSMART Program, Reclamation is providing funding for water conservation improvements and water reuse projects across the West," said Lopez. "We commend the state of California for all the steps they have already taken to alleviate the impacts of the drought. We hope this federal funding for water reuse and efficiency will help us leverage scarce resources between the state and federal governments to bring much-needed relief for the people and environment of California."
 
Sutley added, "The federal government's support for critical water efficiency and reuse projects is most valuable especially during this historic drought in California. The investments will help cities like Los Angeles carry out our sustainability objectives, further build our local water supply and reduce our reliance on imported water. We look forward to all these important opportunities ahead of us."
 
Reclamation is investing more than $24 million in grants for 50 water and energy efficiency projects in 12 western states, more than $23 million for seven water reclamation and reuse projects in California, and nearly $2 million for seven water reclamation and reuse feasibility studies in California and Texas. The 50 projects announced today will be leveraged with at least 50-percent non-federal funding for a total of $133 million in improvements over the next two to three years.

WaterSMART is the U.S. Department of the Interior's sustainable water initiative. The program's water and energy-efficiency grants can be used for projects that conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, benefit endangered and threatened species, facilitate water markets, carry out activities to address climate-related impacts on water, or prevent any water-related crisis or conflict.

[출처 = Water World / 2015년 5월 21일]