[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 158 (Thursday, November 15, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  KLAMATH BASIN EMERGENCY OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE REFUND ACT OF 2001

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                               speech of

                         HON. PETER A. DeFAZIO

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 13, 2001

  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, Nobody could have foreseen the devastating 
drought that has besieged Oregon over the past year. The lack of water 
has adversely effected agriculture, energy generation, recreation, and 
fish and wildlife habitat. The Klamath Basin in Southern Oregon and 
Northem California has suffered particular hardship through this 
drought. The snowpack and rainfall that supply the Basin with life-
sustaining water are critical to the economic viability of the Basin, 
and have been significantly below normal. Because the federal 
government, through the Bureau of Reclamation, has encouraged the 
Basin's dependence with nearly a century of promised federal water 
allocation, this Congress has an obligation to take further steps to 
provide further funding for relief and mitigation.
  This bill, H.R. 2828, will provide further assistance to the farmers 
of the Klamath Basin by reimbursing them for operations and maintenance 
costs. Farmers receiving federal water pay these fees to the government 
for upkeep of the infrastructure of the Klamath Project. Many of the 
farmers in the project did not receive federal water this year. 
Therefore, those farmers should not have to bear the cost of 
maintaining the federal infrastructure. Representative Walden has taken 
every precaution to ensure that this modest reimbursement is fair and 
equitable. Only irrigation districts receiving severely limited water 
supplies will be reimbursed, and districts who have already been 
reimbursed by California will not be eligible for the funds in this 
bill.
  I am pleased to be working with Mr. Walden, and many members of the 
Oregon and California delegations, to find reasonable short and long 
term solutions to the situation in the Basin. This bill will provide 
farmers in the Basin with much needed economic assistance by simply 
refunding their O&M costs. Passing this bill is fair, and the right 
thing to do for the farmers in the Klamath Basin. I urge adoption of 
H.R. 2828, the Klamath Basin Emergency Operation and Maintenance Refund 
Act of 2001.

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