[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 180 (Tuesday, November 14, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DONALD P. FREITAS

                                 ______


                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 14, 1995

  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I know that all Members of the 
U.S. House of Representatives will join me in honoring an outstanding 
public servant, Donald Freitas, who is going to be leaving his position 
as a director of the Contra Costa Water District next month.
  Don Freitas has been one of the great leaders in the effort to 
preserve and restore the water quality of San Francisco Bay and the 
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta throughout his 16 year tenure on the 
board, including his service as its president in 1987-89. He has always 
been a trusted and valued ally to me as I have waged battle after 
battle here in the Congress to reform California's water policy and to 
make it more responsive both to the taxpayers and to the environment.
  I want to mention some highlights of Don Freitas' service on the 
board, because he has made many contributions that will endure long 
after he has moved on to other challenges: Don has served as the 
manager of the Contra Costa County Clean Water program which is charged 
with implementing the Federal Clean Water Act storm water pollution 
program within our county; Don Freitas helped lead the successful fight 
in 1982 that stopped construction of the Peripheral Canal that was 
intended to divert much of the delta's water south to farms and cities 
in other regions of the State, with devastating consequences to the 
ecology of the delta and San Francisco Bay; Don was a leader in the 
long effort to build the Los Vaqueros Reservoir which is now under 
construction to serve the thousands of Contra Costans whose water 
quality has long been at risk because of the mismanagement of our 
State's water supply.
  On these and many other challenges over the years, Don Freitas has 
demonstrated exceptional vision and leadership, and I am honored to 
have had him as a colleague and friend. We all join the 400,000 
customers of the Contra Costa Water District, and all advocates of 
water policy reform, in wishing Don Freitas the very best in the 
future, and in thanking him for his years of dedicated service.

                          ____________________