[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 23, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S5533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ROCKY BOY/NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA WATER SYSTEM

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise to voice my support for the Rocky 
Boy/North Central Montana Regional Water System Act of 2001. I join 
Senator Burns, Representative Rehberg, and Governor Martz in 
recognizing the problem that the Chippewa Cree Tribe and other Montana 
residents in the surrounding area face in getting clean, affordable 
drinking water. The population of the Rocky Boy Reservation, which grew 
by over 40 percent in the last decade, is dangerously underserved. Many 
other residents in the North Central Montana area are completely 
without water service, and the problem is worsening because of the 
drought conditions plaguing our State. Many families must haul in their 
own water, or pay to have it delivered. This is just unacceptable.
  Within the region, many homes can turn on the faucet in the kitchen 
or bathroom and see a black liquid come pouring out. Others are 
exposing their families to dangerously high levels of arsenic. I ask my 
colleagues if they would be willing to subject their husbands, wives, 
and children to these water quality issues? The situation has become so 
desperate that the current area water systems have ``qualified'' for 
the EPA's Significant Non-compliance list. I say again, this is 
unacceptable.
  Without a reliable, accessible safe drinking water source, North 
Central Montana cannot diversify its economy or encourage future 
economic growth.
  The Rocky Boy/North Central Montana Regional Water System Act would 
address these important water needs by constructing a Regional Water 
System. The system would involve fifteen participants, eight water 
districts, and six municipalities. It would cover a six-county region, 
and its service area would span more than 10,000 miles. By allowing 
current water systems to cooperate under a larger regional framework, 
the proposal will allow for more efficient management.
  For the Chippewa Cree Tribe, the Act would represent the fulfilment 
of a Water Compact which was ratified by the Montana Legislature and 
signed by President Clinton in December, 1999. The Compact guaranteed 
the Tribe a 10,000 acre feet water allocation from the Tiber Reservoir 
south of Chester. In order to honor this agreement, the Act authorizes 
the construction of a water treatment plant at Tiber Reservoir, along 
with the 50 miles of pipeline necessary to connect the Reservoir and 
the Reservation.
  The Rocky Boy/North Central Montana Regional Water System Act is also 
extremely important to other Montana households as well in the area, in 
fact, it is important to over 7000 additional households. Fourteen off-
reservation towns and counties have expressed their interest in the 
program by signing an Interlocal Agreement to create the North Central 
Montana Regional Water Authority. The Authority is the legal entity, 
required under Montana law, that will administer the non-tribal 
components of the regional system.
  This project is important to me and to North Central Montana. Water 
is life and without it our communities cannot continue to flourish and 
grow. This region in Montana is economically very important to our 
state. But, if they don't have clean, safe water to drink, their 
economic future looks uncertain. How will their business continue to 
expand? How can you build new houses? The answer is simple. They will 
not and you cannot. Without water, all growth and progress stops.
  That is why I will do everything I can to see that this project is 
authorized and funded.

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