Rep. Andy Biggs on Wednesday introduced a sweeping water bill that would pour $19 billion in federal funding into new infrastructure while cutting permit requirements across the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin. … His bill would remove environmental review requirements that can hold up water projects for years, require the federal government to make permitting decisions within six months and pay two-thirds of the cost of new water projects. The bill would also reopen a shuttered desalination plant near Yuma, partner with Mexico to desalinate seawater and study how to capture California stormwater before it drains into the Pacific Ocean.

Other Colorado River management news:

• Arizona Republic (Phoenix): Mexican desalination plant could help Arizona with water. What happens next
• KYMA (Yuma, Ariz.): Yuma City Council takes action on two Colorado River water issues
• Las Vegas Review-Journal: Lake Mead’s sacrifice to prop up Lake Powell shown in poor outlook
• Aspen Times (Colo.): Aspen plans to retain some Ruedi Reservoir contract water
• Colorado Newsline: Colorado has a new, voluntary program to conserve Colorado River water. Farmers are wary.