[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 72 (Friday, June 5, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5700-S5701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CAMPBELL:
  S. 2142. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey 
the facilities of the Pine River Project, to allow jurisdictional 
transfer of lands between the Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, and the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, and 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and for other purposes; to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources.


                vallecito reservoir transfer legislation

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I introduce a bill that will allow 
the Bureau of Reclamation to transfer the title to the Vallecito 
Reservoir in southwestern Colorado to the Pine River Irrigation 
District. This transfer has been developed after close consultation and 
extensive meetings with the Pine River Irrigation District, the Bureau 
of Reclamation, the U.S. Forest Service and the Southern Ute Indian 
Tribe.
  This bill contributes toward my ongoing goal of developing local 
cooperation and control of public resources, while addressing the 
concerns of managing site-specific resources, recreation, and 
environmental protection. It fits with my long-held belief that we need 
to downsize the role of the Federal Government, while allowing the 
State and local entities which are most affected to manage valuable 
resources.
  For the past twenty-five years, the District has managed the 
Vallecito Reservoir for the Bureau of Reclamation. This bill will allow 
the District, which has developed extensive expertise and knowledge, to 
purchase the reservoir which they manage. The concerns of the public 
are addressed through provisions which require certain conditions be 
met before the title can be transferred. Once the transfer is complete 
the Pine River District will continue to manage the reservoir in 
compliance with State and Federal law.

[[Page S5701]]

  This bill is a companion bill to H.R. 3715 introduced in the House of 
Representatives by our colleague Congressman Scott McInnis. The House 
already has held a hearing on this legislation. Therefore, I am hopeful 
that the Senate can move rapidly to complete this transfer.

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