The Biden-Harris Administration released the Summary Report of the Drought Resilience Interagency Working Group (IWG) this week, which outlines the efforts taken to date to increase drought-stricken communities’ longer-term drought resilience through financial and technical aid.
The Drought Resilience IWG was created a year ago as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government commitment to climate change. The Summary Report is available to be downloaded.
“Climate change and drought are wreaking havoc on the United States. The Biden-Harris administration is quickly ushering every resource available to drought-affected communities to provide relief now and make long-term investments through the Drought Resilience Interagency Working Group and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.
“To address the effects of the drought issue and work together on long-term solutions, we are dedicated to an all-of-government strategy and partnership with Tribes, irrigators, companies, and bordering towns.”
“Intense drought and climate change continue to threaten major economic drivers in rural communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “They disrupt food systems and water supplies, endanger public health, jeopardize the integrity of critical infrastructure, and exacerbate wildfires and floods.”
“Through the IWG, federal agencies have enhanced their collaboration and coordination in order to more effectively deploy resources and support during these severe droughts.” We’ve also worked to improve and expand our disaster relief programs to better support producers in recovering and building resiliency in drought-stricken areas.”
The Drought Resilience IWG, which was founded under the White House’s National Climate Task Force, is co-chaired by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Drought Resilience IWG agencies are collaborating across government to solve drought concerns using existing programs and resources. The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act offers a number of historic chances to deliver important resources to address water issues, including drought.
The Drought Resilience IWG will help agencies work together more effectively to deploy $13 billion in water-related investments, including $12.4 billion at the Interior Department (including the expenditures described below) and $918 million at the USDA.
Key actions since the Drought Resilience IWG creation include:
- In fiscal year 2021, the Bureau of Reclamation and USDA coordinated drought relief efforts in some of the most drought-stricken areas in the West. This included a collective investment of $38 million ($23 million from Reclamation and $15 million from USDA) in the Klamath Basin to help farmers and Tribes.
- In January 2022, Secretaries Haaland and Vilsack, National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Federal Emergency Management Administration Administrator Deanne Criswell met with the Western Governors’ Association and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a Task Force as a forum for federal, state, and territorial representatives for the collaborative response to land, water, and wildlife challenges facing western landscapes and people.
- The Interior Department, USDA, and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration actively participated in listening sessions, drought webinars, and roundtables to disseminate important drought information, discuss the current crisis, and explain the investments in water and drought resilience that will be made possible from the BIL. These efforts will continue throughout 2022.
- FEMA assembled with stakeholders, decision makers, and drought experts to exchange information regarding federal drought response and innovative ideas to build long-term drought resiliency.
- In the Upper Colorado Basin, a federal advisory committee, the Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG), was formed to bring key issues in the Colorado River Basin to resolution. The AMWG consists of the Hualapai Tribe, the Hopi Tribe, the Navajo Nation, the Pueblo of Zuni, the Southern Paiute Consortium, the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, the Interior Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service, USFWS, the seven basin states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming), environmental interests, the recreational industry, federal power purchase contractors, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the Western Area Power Administration.
- The USDA Climate Hubs continue to focus on drought and are working closely with regional partners including NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System and their Drought Early Warning System, the National Drought Mitigation Center(link is external), and the National Weather Service through the Community Collaborative Rain Snow and Hail Network(link is external).
The Drought Resilience IWG is part of the Obama Administration’s effort to help drought-stricken areas. Given the elongated and severe drought cycles that climate change is producing, it is focused on improving communities’ long-term drought resistance.
In addition to the Drought Resilience IWG, the Biden-Harris Administration reinvigorated the National Drought Resilience Partnership’s collaboration (NDRP). The NDRP, which was established in 2013, brings together different federal departments to create creative science-driven solutions to water supply concerns.