[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 110 (Monday, July 10, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H6712-H6713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             COLORADO BASIN SALINITY CONTROL ACT AMENDMENTS

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 523) to amend the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control 
Act to authorize additional measures to carry out the control of 
salinity upstream of Imperial Dam in a cost-effective manner, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:
                                 S. 523

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. AMENDMENTS TO THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY 
                   CONTROL ACT.

       The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (43 U.S.C. 
     1571 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 202(a)--
       (A) in the first sentence--
       (i) by striking ``the following salinity control units'' 
     and inserting ``the following salinity control units and 
     salinity control program''; and
       (ii) by striking the period and inserting a colon; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(6) A basinwide salinity control program that the 
     Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, shall 
     implement. The Secretary may carry out the purposes of this 
     paragraph directly, or may make grants, commitments for 
     grants, or advances of funds to non-Federal entities under 
     such terms and conditions as the Secretary may require. Such 
     program shall consist of cost-effective measures and 
     associated works to reduce salinity from saline springs, 
     leaking wells, irrigation sources, industrial sources, 
     erosion of public and private land, or other sources that the 
     Secretary considers appropriate. Such program shall provide 
     for the mitigation of incidental fish and wildlife values 
     that are lost as a result of the measures and associated 
     works. The Secretary shall submit a planning report 
     concerning the program established under this paragraph to 
     the appropriate committees of Congress. The Secretary may not 
     expend funds for any implementation measure under the program 
     established under this paragraph before the expiration of a 
     30-day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary 
     submits such report.'';
       (2) in section 205(a)--
       (A) in paragraph (1) by striking ``authorized by section 
     202(a) (4) and (5)'' and inserting ``authorized by paragraphs 
     (4) through (6) of section 202(a)''; and
       (B) in paragraph (4)(i), by striking ``section 202(a) (4) 
     and (5)'' each place it appears and inserting ``paragraphs 
     (4) through (6) of section 202'';
       (3) in section 208, by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(c) In addition to the amounts authorized to be 
     appropriated under subsection (b), there are authorized to be 
     appropriated $75,000,000 for subsection 202(a), including 
     constructing the works described in paragraph 202(a)(6) and 
     carrying out the measures described in such paragraph. 
     Notwithstanding subsection (b), the Secretary may implement 
     the program under paragraph 202(a)(6) only to the extent and 
     in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations 
     Acts.''; and
       (4) in subsection 202(b)(4) delete ``units authorized to be 
     constructed pursuant to paragraphs (1), 92), (3), (4), and 
     (5)'' and insert in lieu thereof ``units authorized to be 
     constructed or the program pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), 
     (3), (4), (5), and (6).''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Doolittle] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Vento] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Doolittle].
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, the Colorado River Compact negotiated in 
1992 by all seven Basin States, divided the river into two basins, the 
Upper Basin and the Lower Basin, with each basin receiving the right to 
develop and use in perpetuity 7.5 million acre-feet annually from the 
Colorado River system, although not all States are currently using 
their full apportionment.
  In addition, the 1994 Mexican Water Treaty committed 1.5 million 
acre-feet of water annually to users in Mexico. The quality of that 
water is also prescribed by the treaty. The quantity and quality of 
water to be delivered to Mexico are our obligation, and the cost is not 
to be borne by the seven Basin States.
  In addition to United States-Mexican Treaty obligations, water users 
in the Lower Basin are concerned about the higher salinity of the 
Colorado River water they receive, because it reduces their ability to 
reclaim the water for reuse. The more saline the water is originally, 
the more it costs to treat it for reuse.
  To address the salinity problem, the Colorado River Basin Salinity 
Control Act was enacted in 1974. Title 1 of the bill addressed the 
Mexican Treaty obligations by authorizing the Yuma Desalting Plant and 
certain other actions to be taken in the Lower Colorado River Basin. 
Title 2 of the act, which this bill, S. 532, seeks to amend, authorized 
the investigation and construction of salinity control projects in the 
Upper Basin in order to protect the quality of water delivered to the 
Lower Basin.
  S. 523 would amend section 202(a) of the Colorado River Basin 
Salinity Control Act to authorize a program of salinity control in 
addition to the specific projects in the existing statute. The new 
program would enable Reclamation to accept proposals from non-Federal 
entities for salinity control measures, and then provide funding to the 
most cost-effective proposals.
  Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support this legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill and in place of my friend 
and colleague, the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. DeFazio], who takes the 
lead for our Members on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, the Colorado River is the only source of water for 
millions of people. Both agriculture and growing 

[[Page H 6713]]
urban areas in the West depend on the river as their only water source. 
The measure before us has been described well by the chairman, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Doolittle]. The issues arise, of course, 
because water is being introduced in dry areas where it activates, it 
is carried and picks up the salinity or salt from those dry areas, 
adding to the load in the river. Consequently, of course, that river 
water, the Colorado River Basin River and its tributaries, become a 
waterway with a much greater concentration of salt than otherwise would 
be the case. It needs to obviously be reduced.
  Mr. Speaker, the intent of this legislation is to look at less 
intrusive ways, less high-cost ways of reducing the salinity, looking 
at creative solutions. There are several important issues that were 
discussed during the hearing held on this measure on May 11. I believe 
the bill and the assurances we have received from the administration 
adequately address those concerns. First of all, the bill specifies 
that new salinity control solutions must meet a test of cost 
effectiveness. The Bureau of Reclamation will develop the new 
guidelines for evaluating proposed salinity control measures. It is my 
understanding that these guidelines will be developed in consultation 
with interested parties, and that every effort will be made to ensure 
that innovative and cost-effective solutions to salinity control are 
encouraged.
  Second, the bill specifically provides the Secretary may approve 
salinity control projects to reduce salinity from a variety of sources, 
including irrigation sources. It is my expectation that the Bureau of 
Reclamation's guidelines for implementing this law will not 
unreasonably preclude proposed solutions to the Basin's salinity 
problems. We should not continue to rely on pouring more concrete if it 
can be shown that other water or land management alternatives will do 
the job just as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe the measure, S. 523, has the potential to 
directly improve the existing programs for reducing salinity in the 
Colorado River, and I urge support of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Utah [Mr. Hansen].
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the time to thank subcommittee 
Chairman John Doolittle and Chairman Don Young for their assistance in 
moving this important piece of legislation in such a timely fashion.
  The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program has been authorized 
by Congress and implemented by federal and state entities for the last 
20 years. There is now a need to update and revise the authorizations 
provided for in the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act so that 
the Bureau of Reclamation can move forward in a more responsive and 
cost-effective manner.
  The bills that Senator Bob Bennett introduced in the Senate and I 
introduced in the House this year are very similar to the bills that we 
introduced last Congress. Although the bill passed the Senate last 
Congress, due to last minute politics, the full House never addressed 
the bill. It is important that we take this opportunity to pass this 
legislation and fully authorize this crucial program.
  The bill before the House today would authorize additional measures 
to carry out the control of the Colorado River's salinity in a cost-
effective manner. Such measures would lead to reductions of salinity 
from all sources basinwide. The bill would also provide flexibility to 
the program by simplifying the process for the Bureau of Reclamation to 
obtain congressional approval for new salinity control measures.
  An appropriations ceiling level increase has been needed for some 
time. The level would be increased by $75 million in order to carry out 
salinity control measures. The Bureau of Reclamation expenditures are 
nearing the ceiling established by Congress over 20 years ago.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my good friends, Chairmen 
Young and Doolittle for their diligence. Passage of this legislation is 
very important to all the upper and lower basin Colorado River States 
and I urge my colleagues to support S. 523.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Doolittle] that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 523.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of order of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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