A bipartisan bill that would provide an additional $500 million for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program moved one step closer to becoming law after advancing out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on July 16.

The legislation, introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and co-sponsored by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., would raise the federal funding cap for the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act while also increasing authorized funding for improvements to the Friant Division canal system.

According to Padilla's office, the bill is intended to support the long-term restoration of Chinook salmon to the San Joaquin River while helping reduce or avoid water supply impacts for agricultural users served by the Friant Division of California's Central Valley Project.

"As droughts, floods, rising project costs, and funding delays continue to threaten watersheds across our state, Congress has a responsibility to restore salmon and improve recreational access to free-flowing rivers in areas like the San Joaquin Valley," Padilla said in a statement. "I am proud to see my bill to authorize additional funding to support ecological restoration of the San Joaquin River advance."

Congress originally authorized the San Joaquin River Restoration Program following an 18-year legal dispute over operations at Friant Dam. The program aims to restore river flows between Friant Dam and the Merced River confluence while rebuilding a self-sustaining Chinook salmon fishery.

Padilla's office said rising implementation costs have created a need for additional federal funding to continue restoration projects. The legislation would also increase funding authorization for Friant Division canal improvements intended to help mitigate water supply losses associated with restoration efforts.

The committee advanced the bill by voice vote. It now heads to the full Senate for consideration.