[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 103 (Thursday, June 22, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     INTRODUCTION OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT REFORM ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 22, 1995
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, today, we are fulfilling another 
important part of our Contract With America; to bring Government to the 
people, to respond to their concerns on a bi-partisan basis, to make 
Government more efficient. I have been contacted by members of the 
public from all sides of the political spectrum to address the issues 
of CVPIA implementation. There is general agreement that we must break 
new ground to improve our water management in California. Members on 
both sides of the aisle are here today to support new ways to approach 
these problems.
  In 1992, Congress passed the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, 
which substantially altered the way water is managed in California. 
Among its major provisions, the CVPIA provided for 800,000 acre-feet of 
water from the CVP to be primarily dedicated to fish and wildlife. It 
also established the CVP restoration fund and assessed charges against 
both water and power interests into the fund.
  We have spoken with a number of our constituents in California, 
including irrigation districts, municipalities, environmental 
organizations and power customers who have expressed concerns about the 
way certain provisions of the VCPIA are being implemented or 
interpreted. They would like to see these issues addressed.
  It has become increasingly apparent that there are some provisions of 
the CVPIA that need modification. At the same time, there is 
recognition by all the parties that now is not the time for radical 
changes in the act, but rather, for well thought out improvements which 
ensure that the basic principles of the act are achieved in a manner 
which meets the real needs of the parties concerned. This bill provides 
reasonable and badly needed reforms. It also clarifies and builds on 
the Bay-Delta accord. It will ensure that there is no double-counting 
of the 800,000 acre-feet of water devoted to environmental programs 
under the original CVPIA.
  Finally, we are returning common sense to the CVPIA in the area of 
water pricing. It was the stated intent of the CVPIA to create greater 
incentives for the conservation of water. Implementation of the act 
discouraged some good water practices. For instance, there are areas 
served by the Central Valley Project where there is significant 
overdraft of the aquifers. We need to provide opportunities for the 
recharge of underground acquifers. Tiered pricing was designed to 
charge higher prices as more water is used. In a year such as this, 
when we have significant amounts of water in California, it is foolish 
to have a policy that discourages a water district from recharing its 
aquifer.
  The reforms we propose today are balanced. They address common sense 
issues which must be changed. It is a bipartisan bill which will 
improve California's ability to manage its water.


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