[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 25, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H6882-H6883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       USE OF WEBER BASIN PROJECT FACILITIES FOR NONPROJECT WATER

  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3236) 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, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3236

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

     SECTION 1. USE OF WEBER BASIN PROJECT FACILITIES FOR 
                   NONPROJECT WATER.

       The Secretary of the Interior may enter into contracts with 
     the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District or any of its 
     member unit contractors under 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 facilities associated with the 
     Weber Basin Project, Utah; and
       (2) the exchange of water among Weber Basin Project 
     contractors, for the purposes set forth in paragraph (1), 
     using facilities associated with the Weber Basin Project, 
     Utah.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Cannon) and the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon).


                             General Leave

  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks, and include extraneous material therein, on H.R. 3236.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Utah?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be discussing H.R. 3236, which I 
introduced with my colleague, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen). 
This legislation authorizes the Secretary of Interior, through the 
Bureau of Reclamation, to enter into contracts with the Weber Basin 
Water Conservancy District to allow the delivery of non-Federal project 
water for domestic, municipal, industrial, and other beneficial 
purposes using facilities associated with the Weber Basin Project.
  Such congressional authorization is required by the Warren Act and 
there are a number of Western reclamation projects which have already 
been given such authority including the Central Utah Project. The Weber 
Basin Conservancy District constructed the Smith Morehouse Dam and 
Reservoir in the early 1980s with local Weber Basin funding resources 
creating a supply of non-Federal project water.
  There is now a need to deliver approximately 5,000 acre feet of this 
non-Federal Smith Morehouse water supply along with approximately 5,000 
acre feet of Federal Weber Basin Project water utilizing some federally 
built project facilities to the Snyderville Basin Area of Summit County 
and to Park City. These are rapidly growing areas of my congressional 
district.
  The Weber Basin Water Conservancy District entered into a memorandum 
of understanding and agreement in 1996 to deliver this water 
approximately 14 miles from Weber Basin Weber River sources 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 the county and Park 
City to deliver the water utilizing Bureau-built Weber Basin Project 
facilities.
  The Utah State Engineer last year stopped approval of new groundwater 
sources in the area. We do not have any more wells that we can drill 
there. This, along with the tremendous growth in the area, due in part 
to the 2002 Olympics, has led to an immediate need to import water to 
the area. The area to be served is within the taxing area of the Weber 
Basin District, and there is a definite need for a public entity to 
build a project to supply an adequate, reliable, and cost-effective 
water delivery project to meet future demands.
  I hope we can pass this legislation to enable the District to 
expeditiously construct this project.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H6883]]

  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. 3236 authorizes the Secretary of the 
Interior to enter into Warren Act contracts for water from the Weber 
Basin project in Utah. These contracts are an important water 
management tool in the Western United States where there is an 
opportunity to use a nearby Bureau of Reclamation project to transport 
local water supplies for municipal or other uses.
  We support the legislation, and we congratulate the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Cannon) on his effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would just once again state this legislation is needed 
to continue the development of much-needed water resources in the Weber 
Basin Water Conservancy District. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this necessary legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3236, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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