Bill > HR5217

This bill, the Water Optimization for the West Act or the WOW Act, aims to provide for western water security, reliability, modernization, and abundance. Key provisions include: - Amending the WIIN Act to increase funding and extend deadlines for water storage projects, while also allowing the Secretary to participate in developing policy and infrastructure recommendations to increase surface water availability and reduce groundwater overdraft. - Amending the Central Valley Project Improvement Act to ensure water dedicated to fish and wildlife is replaced for Central Valley Project contractors, facilitate water transfers, and adjust authorities and requirements related to fish and wildlife restoration. - Repealing the San Joaquin River Settlement and establishing new requirements for implementing restoration flows from Friant Dam. - Allowing for the repurposing of certain federal funds initially dedicated to high-speed rail development in California towards water storage projects and other water-related grants. - Establishing new processes to accelerate studies and approvals for Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Indian Affairs water projects, and coordinating environmental reviews. - Transferring oversight of anadromous and catadromous species under the Endangered Species Act from the Department of Commerce to the Department of the Interior. - Allowing the Bureau of Reclamation to facilitate aquifer recharge using its facilities and authorizing a pilot program for aquifer recharge on eligible lands.