[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 17, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S2790]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    FLATHEAD IRRIGATION ACT OF 1999

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, yesterday I introduced a bill to transfer 
the operation of an irrigation project in Montana from the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs to the local irrigators. This is a bill, which has been 
before Congress before, but has been changed to address the concerns 
expressed by the BIA and groups which have opposed this legislation in 
the past.
  Years of management by the Bureau of Indian Affairs has led to a 
project in poor physical condition. Rather than being an asset for the 
government and the users, the Flathead Irrigation is rapidly becoming a 
liability. Using current estimates, the project is in need of $15 to 
$20 million worth of repair and conditioning. Government managers admit 
that costs associated with rehabilitation of this project could be as 
much as 40 percent higher than if the project were under local control.
  The irony of this project however, is the fact that studies on 
locally owned irrigation projects in Montana and Wyoming show that the 
costs of operation and maintenance of the Flathead project are some of 
the highest in the Rocky Mountain Region the condition of the project 
may be worst in that same region. What do these people, and for that 
matter the taxpayer, get for the higher costs associated with the 
current management? Not much if anything at all.
  Let's take a moment here to see what local control of this irrigation 
project would mean to the irrigators and to the taxpayer. First of all, 
local control will mean increased accountability of the monies 
collected by and used in the operation of the Flathead Irrigation 
Project. At the current time the BIA is unable, or unwilling, to 
provide basic financial information to the local irrigation districts. 
This despite the fact that the local farmers and ranchers pay 100% of 
the costs to operate and maintain the project. At the same time, the 
current management cannot even deliver a year-end balance of funds paid 
by the local irrigation users.
  Local control will also create savings over the current operation 
management. By using these savings the local management could be used 
to restore the Flathead Irrigation Project to a fully functioning, 
efficiently operating unit.
  Wihtout the transfer to local control, the residents of the Flathead 
face an uncertain future. This irrigation project is located in one of 
the most beautiful valleys in western Montana. Current trends in 
agriculture have put farmers and ranchers in a difficult position. 
Montana farmers and ranchers have always been land rich and cash poor. 
In the case of this valley in Montana, this is the rule and not the 
exception. They live in an area that is being changed daily due to the 
number of summer home construction, because of the beauty and a 
temperate climate for Montana.
  The family farmers and ranchers in this area continue to face 
economic pressures from outside. Which has led to a number of folks 
packing up and subdividing their land for residential home sites. Those 
who have packed up and left the area, have taken their land and 
subdivided it for the residential development, removing the land from 
agricultural production.
  The subdivision of the land has a number of negative impacts on this 
valley and Montana and the Nation. The landscape is dotted with 
magnificent homes which impacts on the landscape and open spaces, and 
of course wildlife. Another of the major impacts is on the local and 
state economies and governments. Agriculture land in Montana pays 
approximately $1.29 in property taxes for every dollar invested by the 
local government for services. Residential subdivisions only pay 
approximately $0.89 for every dollar they receive in local government 
services.
  Preservation of the small family farm and ranch in the Mission, Jocko 
and Camas valleys in Montana is dependent upon local control. As local 
control of the Flathead Irrigation Project will provide these hard 
working Americans an opportunity to control and have input on the costs 
associated with the operation of this vital water source.

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