[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 86 (Thursday, June 17, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7213-S7215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 OBJECTIONABLE PROVISIONS IN S. 1186, ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS 
                              FOR FY 2000

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, the energy and water appropriations bill 
is fundamental to our Nation's energy and defense-related activities, 
and takes care of vitally important water resources infrastructure 
needs. Unfortunately, this bill diverts from its intended purpose by 
including a multitude of additional, unrequested earmarks to the tune 
of $531 million.
  This amount is substantially less than the earmarks included in the 
FY '99 appropriations bill and I commend my colleagues on the 
Appropriations Committee for their hard work in putting this bill 
together. In fact, this year's recommendation is about 60 percent lower 
than the earmarks included in last year's appropriation bill. My 
optimism was raised upon reading the committee report which states that 
the Committee is ``reducing the number of projects with lower priority 
benefits.'' Unfortunately, while the Committee attempts to be more 
fiscally responsible, there is a continuing focus on parochial, special 
interest concerns.
  Funding is provided in this bill for projects where it is very 
difficult to ascertain their overall importance to the security and 
infrastructure of our nation.
  Let me highlight a few examples:
  $3,000,000 is provided for an ethanol pilot plant at Southern 
Illinois University; $300,000 is provided to the Vermont Agriculture 
Methane project; $400,000 is included for aquatic weed control at Lake 
Champlain in Vermont, and, $100,000 in additional funding for mosquito 
control in North Dakota.
  How are these activities connected to the vital energy and water 
resource needs of our nation? Why are these projects higher in priority 
than other flood control, water conservation or renewable energy 
projects? These are the type of funding improprieties that make a 
mockery of our budget process.
  Various projects are provided with additional funding at levels 
higher than requested by the Administration. The stated reasons include 
the desire to finish some projects in a reasonable timeframe. 
Unfortunately, other projects are put on hold or on a slower track. The 
inconsistency between the Administration's request, which is 
responsible for carrying out these projects, and the views of the 
Appropriators on just how much funding should be dedicated to a 
project, is troubling. As a result, various other projects that may be 
equally deserving or higher in priority do not receive an appropriate 
amount of funding, or none at all. Many of my objections are based on 
these types of inconsistencies and nebulous spending practices.
  Another $92 million above the budget request is earmarked in 
additional funding for regional power authorities. I fail to understand 
why we continue to spend millions of federal dollars at a time when 
power authorities are increasingly operating independent of federal 
assistance. Even the Bonneville Power Administration, one of these 
power entities, is self-financed and operates without substantial 
federal assistance.
  We must stop this practice of wasteful spending. It is unconscionable 
to repeatedly ask the taxpayers to foot the bill for these biased 
actions. We must work harder to focus our limited resources on those 
areas of greatest need nationwide, not political clout.
  I remind my colleagues that I object to these earmarks on the basis 
of their circumvention of our established process, which is to properly 
consider, authorize and fund projects based on merit and need. Indeed, 
I commend my colleagues for not including any projects which are 
unauthorized. However, there are still too many cases of erroneous 
earmarks for projects that we have no way of knowing whether, at best, 
all or part of this $531 million should have been spent on different 
projects with greater need or, at worst, should not have been spent at 
all.
  I supported passage of this bill, but let me state for the record 
that this is not the honorable way to carry out our fiscal 
responsibilities.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that this list of 
objectionable provisions in S. 1186 and its accompanying Senate report 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the list was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

     Objectionable Provisions in S. 1186--FY 2000 Energy and Water 
                          Appropriations Bill


                             bill language

             Department of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers

                         General Investigations

       Earmark of $226,000 for the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to 
     Townsend's Inlet, New Jersey.

                          General Construction

       Earmark of $2,200,000 to Norco Bluffs, California.
       Earmark of $3,000,000 to Indianapolis Central Waterfront, 
     Indiana.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 to Ohio River Flood Protection, 
     Indiana.
       Earmark of $800,000 to Jackson County, Mississippi.
       Earmark of $17,000,000 to Virginia Beach, Virginia 
     (Hurricane Protection).
       An additional $4,400,000 to Upper Mingo County (including 
     Mingo County Tributaries), Lower Mingo County (Kermit), Wayne 
     County, and McDowell County, elements of the Levisa and Tug 
     Forks of the Big Sandy River and Upper Cumberland River 
     project in West Virginia.
       Earmark of $2,000,000 to be used by the Secretary of the 
     Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, is directed to 
     construct bluff stabilization measures at authorized 
     locations for Natchez Bluff, Mississippi.
       Earmark of $200,000 to be used by the Secretary of the 
     Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to initiate a 
     Detailed Project Report for the Dickenson County, Virginia, 
     elements of the Levisa and Tug Forks of the Big Sandy River 
     and Upper Cumberland River, West Virginia, Virginia and 
     Kentucky, project.
       An additional $35,630,000 above the budget request to flood 
     control, Mississippi River and Tributaries, Arkansas, 
     Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and 
     Tennessee.

                    Power Marketing Administrations

       $39,594,000 restored to the Southeastern Power 
     Administration above the budget request.
       An additional $60,000 above budget request for operation 
     and maintenance at Southwestern Power Administration.
       An additional $52,084,000 above the budget request for 
     Western Area Power Administration.

                          Independent Agencies

       An additional $5,000,000 above the budget request is 
     provided for the Appalachian Regional Commission.
       An amount of $25,000,000 above the budget request is 
     provided for the Denali Commission.

                           General Provisions

       Language which stipulates all equipment and products 
     purchased with funds made available in this Act should be 
     American-made.


                            report language

             Department of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers

                         General Investigations

       Earmark of $100,000 to the Barrow Coastal Storm Damage 
     Reduction, AK.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Chandalrr River Watershed, AK.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Gastineau Channel, Juneau, AK.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Skagway Harbor, AK.
       Earmark of $150,000 to Rio De Flag, Flagstaff, AZ.
       Earmark of $250,000 to North Little Rock, Dark Hollow, AR.
       Earmark of $250,000 to Llagas Creek, CA.
       An additional $450,000 to Tule River, CA.
       An additional $450,000 to Yuba River Basin, CA.
       Earmark of $250,000 to Bethany Beach, South Bethany, DE.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Lake Worth Inlet, Palm Beach County, 
     FL.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Mile Point, Jacksonville, FL.
       An additional $170,000 to Metro Atlanta Watershed, GA.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Kawaihae Deep Draft Harbor, HI.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry, ID.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Little Wood River, ID.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Mississinewa River, Marion, IN.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Calcasieu River Basin, LA.
       Earmark of $500,000 to Louisiana Coastal Area, LA.
       Earmark of $100,000 to St. Bernard Parish, LA.

[[Page S7214]]

       Earmark of $100,000 to Detroit River Environmental 
     Dredging, MI.
       Earmark of $400,000 to Sault Ste. Marie, MI.
       An additional $400,000 to Lower Las Vegas Wash Wetlands, 
     NV.
       Earmark of $75,000 to Truckee Meadows, NV.
       Earmark of $200,000 to North Las Cruces, NM.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Lower Roanoke River, NC and VA.
       Earmark of $300,000 to Corpus Christi Ship Channel, 
     Laquinta Channel, TX.
       Earmark of $200,000 to Gulf Intracoastal Waterway 
     Modification, TX.
       Earmark of $100,000 to John H. Kerr, VA and NC.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Lower Rappahannock River Basin, VA.
       Earmark of $500,000 to Lower Mud River, WV.
       Earmark of $400,000 to Island Creek, Logan, WV.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Wheeling Waterfront, WV.
       Language which directs the Corps of Engineers to work with 
     the city of Laurel, MT to provide appropriate assistance to 
     ensure reliability in the city's Yellowstone River water 
     source.

                              Construction

       An additional $1,200,000 to Cook Inlet, AK.
       An additional $900,000 to St. Paul Harbor, AK.
       An additional $13,000,000 to Montgomery Point Lock and Dam, 
     AR.
       An additional $8,000,000 to Los Angeles County Drainage 
     Area, CA.
       Earmark of $500,000 to Fort Pierce Beach, FL.
       Earmark of $500,000 to Lake Worth Sand Transfer Plant, FL.
       An additional $2,000,000 to Chicago Shoreline, IL.
       An additional $10,000,000 to Olmstead Locks and Dam, Ohio 
     River, IL and KY.
       An additional $2,000,000 to Kentucky Lock and Dam, 
     Tennessee River, KY.
       An additional $2,000,000 to Inner Harbor Navigation Canal 
     Lock, LA.
       An additional $5,000,000 to Lake Pontchartrain and 
     Vicinity, LA.
       An additional $1,000,000 to West Bank Vicinity of New 
     Orleans, LA.
       An additional $2,500,000 to Poplar Island, MD.
       Earmark of $250,000 to Clinton River, MI Spillway.
       Earmark of $100,000 to Lake Michigan Center.
       Earmark of $1,100,000 to St. Croix River, Stillwater, MN.
       An additional $5,000,000 to Blue River Channel, Kansas 
     City, MO.
       An additional $1,000,000 to Missouri National Recreational 
     River, NE and SD.
       An additional $8,900,000 to Tropicana and Flamingo Washes, 
     NV.
       Earmark of $250,000 to Passaic River, Minish Waterfront 
     Park, NJ.
       Earmark of $750,000 to New York Harbor Collection and 
     Removal of Drift, NY & NJ.
       An additional $4,000,000 to West Columbus, OH.
       An additional $90,000 to the Lower Columbia River Basin 
     Bank Protection, OR and WA.
       An additional $10,000,000 to Locks and Dams 2, 3 and 4, 
     Monongahela River, PA.
       An additional $1,000,000 to Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, 
     Lower Brule Sioux, SD.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 to James River Restoration, SD.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 to Black Fox, Murfree Springs, and 
     Oakland Wetlands, TN.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 to Tennessee River, Hamilton County, 
     TN.
       Earmark of $800,000 to Greenbrier River Basin, WV.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 to Lafarge Lake, Kickapoo River, WI.
       Earmark of $400,000 for aquatic weed control at Lake 
     Champlain in Vermont.
       An additional $960,000 for various earmarks under Section 
     107, Small Navigation Project.
       An additional $5,675,000 for various earmarks under Section 
     205, Small flood control projects.
       An additional $1,760,000 for various earmarks under Section 
     206, Aquatic ecosystem restoration.
       An additional $1,500,000 for various earmarks under Section 
     1135, Projects Modifications for improvement of the 
     environment.
       An additional $12,500,000 for the Mississippi River Levees, 
     Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, 
     Missouri and Tennessee.
       An additional $500,000 to St. Francis Basin, Arkansas and 
     Missouri.
       An additional $2,000,000 for the Louisiana State 
     Penitentiary Levee, Louisiana.
       An additional $500,000 for Backwater Pump, Mississippi.
       An additional $585,000 for the Big Sunflower River, 
     Mississippi.
       An additional $5,000,000 for Demonstration Erosion Control, 
     Mississippi.
       An additional $2,000,000 for the St. Johns Bayou and New 
     Madrid Floodway, Missouri.
       An additional $2,764,000 for the Mississippi River Levees, 
     Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, 
     Missouri, and Tennessee.
       An additional $1,500,000 for the St. Francis River Basin, 
     Arkansas and Missouri.
       An additional $2,250,000 for the Atchafalaya Basin, 
     Louisiana.
       An additional $1,000,000 for Arkabutla Lake, Missouri.
       An additional $1,000,000 for End Lake, Missouri.
       An additional $1,000,000 for Grenada Lake, Mississippi.
       An additional $1,000,000 for Sardis Lake, Mississippi.
       An additional $31,000 for Tributaries, Mississippi.

         Corps of Engineers--Operation and Maintenance, General

       An additional $2,000,000 for Mobile Harbor, Alabama.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 for Lowell Creek Tunnel (Seward), 
     Arkansas.
       An additional $1,500,000 for Mississippi River between 
     Missouri River and Minneapolis, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, 
     Missouri.
       An additional $525,000 for John Redmond Dam and Reservoir, 
     Kansas.
       An additional $2,000,000 for Red River Waterway, 
     Mississippi River to Shreveport, Louisiana.
       Earmark of $250,000 for Missouri National River.
       An additional $35,000 for Little River Harbor, New 
     Hampshire.
       Earmark of $20,000 for Portsmouth Harbor, Piscataqua River, 
     New Hampshire.
       An additional $1,500,000 for Delaware River Philadelphia to 
     the Sea, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
       Earmark of $800,000 for Upper Rio Grande Water Operations 
     Model.
       An additional $100,000 for Garrison Dam, Lake Sakakawea, 
     North Dakota.
       An additional $500,000 for Oologah Lake, Oklahoma.
       An additional $2,300,000 for Columbia and Lower Willamette 
     River Below Vancouver, Washington and Portland.
       An additional $50,000 for Port Orford, Oregon.
       Earmark $400,000 for Corpus Christi Ship Channel, Barge 
     Lanes, Texas.
       An additional $1,140,000 for Burlington Harbor Breakwater, 
     Vermont.
       An additional $3,000,000 for Grays Harbor and Chehalis 
     River, Washington.
       Language which directs the Army Corps of Engineers to 
     address maintenance at Humboldt Harbor, CA; additional 
     maintenance dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in South 
     Carolina from Georgetown to Little River, and from Port Royal 
     to Little River; dredging at the entrance channel at Murrells 
     Inlet, SC; additional dredging for the Lower Winyah Bay and 
     Gorge in Georgetown Harbor, SC.

           Bureau of Reclamation--Water and Related Resources

       Earmark of $5,000,000 for Headgate Rock Hydroelectric 
     Project.
       An additional $1,500,000 for Central Valley Project: 
     Sacramento River Division.
       Earmark of $250,000 for Fort Hall Indian Reservation.
       Earmark of $4,000,000 for Rock Peck Rural Water System, 
     Montana.
       Earmark of $2,000,000 for Lake Mead and Las Vegas Wash.
       Earmark of $1,500,000 for Newlands Water Right Fund.
       Earmark of $800,000 for Truckee River Operation Agreement.
       Earmark of $400,000 for Walker River Basin Project.
       An additional $2,000,000 for Middle Rio Grande Project.
       Earmark of $300,000 for Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.
       Earmark of $750,000 for Santa Fe Water Reclamation and 
     Reuse.
       Earmark of $250,000 for Ute Reservoir Pipeline Project.
       An additional $2,000,000 for Garrison Diversion Unit, P-
     SMBP
       Earmark of $400,000 for Tumalo Irrigation District, Bend 
     Feed Canal, Oregon.
       An additional $2,000,000 for Mid-Dakota Rural Water Project
       Earmark of $600,000 for Tooele Wastewater Reuse Project.

                          Department of Energy

       Earmark of $1,000,000 is for the continuation of biomass 
     research at the Energy and Environmental Research Center.
       Earmark of $5,000,000 for the McNeil biomass plant in 
     Burlington, Vermont.
       Earmark of $300,000 for the Vermont Agriculture Methane 
     project.
       Earmark of $2,000,000 for continued research in 
     environmental and renewable resource technologies by the 
     Michigan Biotechnology Institute.
       Earmark of $500,000 for the University of Louisville to 
     research the commercial viability of refinery construction 
     for the production of P-series fuels.
       No less than 3,000,000 for the ethanol pilot plant at 
     Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
       Earmark of $250,000 for the investigation of simultaneous 
     production of carbon dioxide and hydrogen at the natural gas 
     reforming facility in Nevada.
       Earmark of $350,000 for the Montana Trade Port Authority in 
     Billings Montana.
       Earmark of $250,000 for the gasification of Iowa 
     switchgrass and its use in fuel cells.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 to complete the 4 megawatt Sitka, 
     Alaska project.
       Earmark of $1,700,000 for the Power Creek hydroelectric 
     project.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 for the Kotzebue wind project.
       Earmark of $300,000 for the Old Harbor hydroelectric 
     project.
       Earmark of $1,000,000 for a demonstration associated with 
     the planned upgrade of the Nevada Test Site power substations 
     of distributed power generation technologies.

[[Page S7215]]

       Earmark of $3,000,000 for the University of Nevada at Reno 
     Earthquake Engineering Facility.
       An additional $35,000,000 to initiate a new strategy (which 
     includes $5,000,000 for activities at Lawrence Livermore 
     National Laboratory, $10,000,000 for Los Alamos National 
     Laboratory, and $20,000,000 for work at Sandia National 
     Laboratory).
       An additional $15,000,000 for the Nevada Test Site.
       An additional $15,000,000 for future requirements at the 
     Kansas City Plant compatible with the Advanced Development 
     and Production Technologies [ADAPT] program and Enhanced 
     Surveillance program.
       An additional $10,000,000 for core stockpile management 
     weapon activities to support work load requirements at the 
     Pantex plant in Amarillo, Texas.
       An additional $10,000,000 to address funding shortfalls in 
     meeting environmental restoration Tri-Party Agreement 
     compliance deadlines, and to accelerate interim safe storage 
     of reactors along the Columbia River.
       An additional $10,000,000 for spent fuel activities related 
     to the Idaho Settlement Agreement with the Department of 
     Energy.
       An additional $30,000,000 for tank cleanup activities at 
     the Hanford Site, WA.
       An additional $20,000,000 to Rocky Flats site, CO.
       Total amount of Earmarks: $531,124,000.

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