[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 151 (Monday, November 1, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H11161-H11162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SOLANO WATER IMPOUNDMENT AND CONVEYANCE ACT

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1235) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter 
into contracts with the Solano County Water Agency, California, to use 
Solano Project facilities for impounding, storage, and carriage of 
nonproject water for domestic, municipal, industrial, and other 
beneficial purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1235

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. USE OF SOLANO PROJECT FACILITIES FOR NONPROJECT 
                   WATER.

       (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of the Interior is 
     authorized to enter into contracts with the Solano County 
     Water Agency, or any of its member unit contractors for water 
     from the Solano Project, California, pursuant to the Act of 
     February 21, 1911 (43 U.S.C. 523), for--
       (1) the impounding, storage, and carriage of nonproject 
     water for domestic, municipal, industrial, and other 
     beneficial purposes, using any facilities associated with the 
     Solano Project, California; and
       (2) the exchange of water among Solano Project contractors, 
     for the purposes set forth in paragraph (1), using facilities 
     associated with the Solano Project, California.
       (b) Limitation.--The authorization under subsection (a) 
     shall be limited to the use of that portion of the Solano 
     Project facilities downstream of Mile 26 of the Putah South 
     Canal (as that canal is depicted on the official maps of the 
     Bureau of Reclamation), which is below the diversion points 
     on the Putah South Canal utilized by the city of Fairfield 
     for delivery of Solano Project water.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Doolittle) and the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle).
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the city of Vallejo, California has tried to use its 
water supply facilities more efficiently, but has been limited by a 
provision in Federal law that prohibits the city from sharing space in 
an existing Federal water delivery canal. The city of Vallejo wants to 
wheel some of its drinking water through part of the canal serving 
California's Solano Project, a water project built by the Bureau of 
Reclamation in the 1950s. The city of Vallejo is prepared to pay any 
appropriate charges for the use of these facilities.
  H.R. 1235 authorizes the Secretary of Interior to enter into 
contracts for the impounding, storage, and carriage of nonproject water 
using facilities associated with the Solano Project, California. In 
addition, any Warren Act contract affecting the Solano Project will be 
conducted with full compliance of all applicable environmental 
requirements.
  I urge an aye vote on the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1235 was introduced on March 23, 
1999, by the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller). The 
gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), our friend and 
colleague, is, of course, the senior Democrat on the Committee on 
Resources; but he also represents California's 7th Congressional 
District, which includes the city of Vallejo; and, unfortunately, he is 
not able to be with us at this time.
  The city of Vallejo has requested congressional approval of its 
proposal to use excess capacity in a Bureau of Reclamation project 
canal to move part of its raw municipal water supply to a new water 
treatment plant. Legislation must be enacted because a limitation in 
Federal law currently prohibits the city in sharing space in an 
existing Federal water delivery canal.
  Once this legislation is enacted, Vallejo will be able to negotiate 
and sign a so-called Warren Act contract to

[[Page H11162]]

wheel some of its water supply from its Lake Curry storage reservoir 
through a specific and limited part of the Putah South Canal. In doing 
so, Vallejo will be able to keep its current water permit active.
  The Putah South Canal serves the Solano Project, constructed by the 
Bureau of Reclamation in the 1950s. Vallejo's proposal has been 
carefully negotiated by the Solano Water Authority and other Solano 
Project water users, including the City of Fairfield. Vallejo is 
prepared to pay all appropriate charges for the use of this facility. 
There will be no cost to the U.S.
  Many California water agencies are becoming much more accustomed to 
using various facilities, some of them Federal, some State, some 
private, to facilitate the movement and transfer of water more 
efficiently around the State. There are both State and Federal 
initiatives to encourage more efficient water use, and many of the 
various CALFED programs focus on improved water management.
  H.R. 1235 is part of that ongoing effort to bring some flexibility 
into our water management policies while continuing to meet important 
statutory, fiscal, and environmental requirements.
  Execution of a Warren Act contract to benefit the city of Vallejo 
will require full compliance with Federal and State and environmental 
laws and regulations. We want to assure that no damage is done to the 
steelhead fishery that is returning to Suisun Creek or to other 
resources.
  The record of the committee's consideration of H.R. 1235 includes 
correspondence from the Bureau of Reclamation, clearly indicating that 
all environment compliance requirements must be met before execution of 
a Warren Act contract to benefit the city of Vallejo. Those include the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the 
California Environmental Quality Act, the Endangered Species Act, State 
Fish and Game Department regulations, and all other environmental 
mandates.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1235 is important to the city of Vallejo, and this 
legislation is not controversial.
  I wish to congratulate the gentleman from California (Mr. George 
Miller) on this important piece of legislation and thank the chairman 
for his cooperation and collaboration on this legislation. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 1235.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge an aye vote, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1235.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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