[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S2534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BENNETT:
  S. 2396. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter 
into contracts with the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, Utah, 
to use Weber Basin Project facilities for the impounding, storage, and 
carriage of nonproject water for domestic, municipal, industrial, and 
other beneficial purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.


    legislation regarding the weber basin water conservancy district

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I am pleased to take a step in addressing 
the long-term water needs of Summit County, Utah. The bill I am 
introducing today, to make a necessary technical correction, authorizes 
the Secretary of the Interior to enter into contracts with the Weber 
Basin Water Conservancy District. This legislation would permit non-
federal water intended for domestic, municipal, industrial, and other 
uses to utilize federal facilities of the original Weber Basin Project 
for various purposes such as storage and transportation.
  In this case, the Smith Morehouse Dam and Reservoir was constructed 
by the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District in the early 1980's using 
local funding resources in order to create a supply of non-federal 
project water. However, it has been determined that there is currently 
a need to deliver approximately 5,000 acre feet of this non-federal 
Smith Morehouse water in conjunction with approximately 5,000 acre feet 
of federal Weber Basin project water to the Snyderville Basin area of 
Summit County, Utah and to Park City, Utah.
  In 1996, the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District entered into 
aMemorandum of Understanding and Agreement to deliver this water 
approximately 14 miles from Weber Basin Weber River sources within a 
certain time frame and dependent upon the execution of an Interlocal 
Agreement with Park City and Summit County. The Warren Act requires 
that legislation be enacted to enable the District to move ahead with 
this agreement with Summit County and Park City to deliver the water 
utilizing Weber Basin Project facilities built by the Bureau of 
Reclamation.
  There is an immediate need for the delivery of water to this area. 
The Utah State Engineer halted the approval of new groundwater 
developments in the area last year. At the same time, Summit County is 
experiencing tremendous growth; in fact it is one of the highest growth 
areas in the state. Within the areas to be served, taxed by the Weber 
Basin District, there is a definite public need for an adequate, 
reliable, and cost effective water delivery project in order to meet 
the future demands of this area.
  Since there is precedent allowing the wheeling of non-federal water 
through federal facilities, my colleagues should realize that this is a 
non-controversial piece of legislation. Therefore, I hope that Congress 
will move quickly to pass this legislation next session and I look 
forward to working closely with my colleagues on the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources to move it quickly.
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