[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11643-S11644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BURNS:
  S. 1659. A bill to convey the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project, 
the Savage Unit of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, and the 
Intake Irrigation Project to the appurtenant irrigation districts; to 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


          Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Projects title Transfer

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a piece of 
legislation that helps a large number of family farms on the border of 
Montana and North Dakota. The Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Projects 
Title Transfer moves ownership of these irrigation projects from 
federal control to local control. Both the Bureau of Reclamation and 
those relying on the projects for their livelihood agree that there is 
little value in having the federal government retain ownership.
  The history of these projects dates to the early 1900's with the 
original Lower Yellowstone project being built by the Bureau of 
Reclamation between 1906 and 1910. Later, the Savage Unit was added in 
1947-48. The end result was the creation of fertile, irrigated land to 
help spur economic development in the area. To this day, agriculture is 
the number one industry in the area.
  The local impact of the projects is measurable in numbers, but the 
greatest impacts can only be seen by visiting the area. About 500 
family farms rely on these projects for economic substance, and the 
entire area relies on them to create stability in the local economy. In 
an area that has seen booms and busts in oil, gas, and other 
commodities, these irrigated lands continued producing and offering a 
foundation for the businesses in the area.
  As we all know, agriculture prices are extremely low right now, but 
these irrigated lands offer a reasonable return over time and are the 
foundation for strong communities based upon the ideals that have made 
this country successful. The 500 families impacted are hard working, 
honest producers, and I can think of no better people to manage their 
own irrigation projects.
  Everyday, we see an example of where the federal government is taking 
on a new task. We can debate the merits of those efforts on an 
individual

[[Page S11644]]

basis, but I think we can all agree that while the government gets 
involved in new projects there are many that we can safely pass on to 
state or local control. The Lower Yellowstone Projects are a prime 
example of such an opportunity, and I ask my colleagues to join me in 
seeing this legislation passed as quickly as possible.
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