[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 18, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E498-E499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE SAN TIMOTEO CREEK ASSESSMENT ELIMINATION AND 
                 ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION ACT OF 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 18, 1997

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to join my 
friend and colleague, Congressman George Brown in introducing the San 
Timoteo Creek Assessment Elimination and Environmental Restoration Act 
of 1997.
  This important legislation will allow the San Timoteo Creek flood 
control project to move forward while eliminating proposed local 
assessments. This act will also provide the added flexibility for the 
local sponsor--County of San Bernardino, to make the project more 
environmentally sensitive.
  Let me briefly explain what this straightforward legislation will 
accomplish. This bill will allow the local sponsor of the San Timoteo 
Creek Project to repay its 25 percent cost share to the Federal 
Government over a 30 year period instead of the traditional payment 
when construction begins. The generic authority to repay the local 
sponsor cost share over

[[Page E499]]

a 30 year period is specified in the Water Resources Development Act 
[WRDA] of 1986. This legislation applies that statute to the San 
Timoteo Creek Project.
  The San Timoteo Creek feature of the Santa Ana Mainstem project will 
cost roughly $60 million. The local cost share is $15 million. However, 
a portion of the local cost share has already been provided through the 
construction of Reach 1 and Reach 2 of the project. Construction on 
Reach 2 of the project is currently underway. The Corps of Engineers 
and the local sponsor are currently discussing the idea of modifying 
Reach 3 in order to keep the project's construction moving forward 
while the corps, the local sponsor and environmental groups develop an 
environmentally sensitive and cost effective design modification 
further upstream.
  The threat of flooding along the San Timoteo Creek is very real. The 
San Timoteo Creek portion is one of the smaller features of the Santa 
Ana Mainstem project which also includes the Seven Oaks Dam in Mentone. 
This project is extremely vital in order to provide flood protection 
for Redlands, Loma Linda, and San Bernardino. Furthermore, protection 
from a 100 year flood event will also lower the flood insurance rates 
of homeowners and small businesses which are currently in the flood 
plain. the overall Santa Ana River Mainstem project will protect 
millions of people and property in San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange 
Counties valued in the billions of dollars when it is completed.
  Congressman Brown and I recently discussed the concept of this 
legislation with San Bernardino County Supervisor Dennis Hansberger, 
Loma Linda Mayor Floyd Petersen, and other elected officials, and 
representatives from local environmental groups, including the local 
chapter of the Sierra Club.
  I am pleased that these discussions have helped to develop this 
legislation which, if enacted, will go a long way toward addressing the 
concerns of those individuals, families and businesses which live 
within the proposed assessment district, locally elected officials, 
environmental groups, and the American taxpayer.

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