Rep. Stansbury Accepts 2021 U.S. Water Prize
Representative Stansbury is nationally recognized for Outstanding Public Official Award by the U.S. Water Alliance.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) accepted the U.S. Water Prize for Outstanding Public Official for her lifelong work on water science and policy and her leadership in the New Mexico State Legislature and federal government to transform water management. The U.S. Water Prize is awarded annually by the U.S. Water Alliance to recognize individuals and organizations that are leading innovative solutions to build a more sustainable and resilient future.
“I am profoundly honored to be recognized by the U.S. Water Alliance,” said Rep. Stansbury. “I have worked my entire career on water access, justice, and sustainability. As communities across New Mexico and the West are struggling to respond to drought, drinking and wastewater needs, and to restore life-sustaining rivers—we must urgently act to provide the tools, resources, and infrastructure our communities need to address these challenges. That is what I am fighting for in Congress and why we must urgently take action now to address climate change and build a more resilient future. I am grateful to accept this award and look forward to continuing to work with our Tribes and Pueblos, acequias, and rural and urban communities to build this future.”
Prior to becoming a member of Congress, Congresswoman Stansbury served as a State House Representative in the New Mexico State Legislature and worked as researcher and consultant on water, climate and sustainable development issues and started her career as a STEM educator, focused especially on water.
As a state legislator, Congresswoman Stansbury crafted and passed a number of key pieces of legislation on climate and water, including the bipartisan Water Data Act, which created a nationally-leading framework for leveraging the power of data to transform water management. The success of the Act has attracted partnerships across the state and the U.S. with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program and other federal, state, Tribal and local entities, research institutions, and non-profit organizations. Because of the Water Data Act, New Mexico is leading the way nationally in transforming its water data to build a more sustainable future.