[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 5, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S12450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer):
  S. 1768. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
implement the Calfed Bay-Delta Program; to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to 
authorize the CALFED Bay Delta Program. I am pleased that Senator Boxer 
has agreed to co-sponsor this bill with me. The bill that I am 
introducing today is also supported by Senator Bingaman, the chairman 
of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He has committed 
to helping move this bill through his committee and hopefully through 
the Senate.
  The most important thing about this new bill is that it fully 
authorizes the CALFED Record of Decision and all the projects 
associated with it with Federal costs of less than $10 million. Any 
projects of more than $10 million that are ready to be constructed will 
be reported to the authorizing committees in a package every 2 years.
  This bill authorizes $2.4 billion to cover the one-third Federal 
share of the CALFED program. The State and water users will each be 
responsible for the other two-thirds.
  California's population is 35 million today and could reach 50 
million within the next 20 years. There simply is not enough water in 
the system to meet the future demand. CALFED is the best hope we have 
to increase our water supply, preserve the environment and protect 
against a water emergency. I don't believe we can wait any longer.
  Mrs. BOXER. I am very pleased to be joining Senator Feinstein today 
in the introduction of a bill that will help address California's water 
needs. We have worked closely together on this effort over the last 
year and I believe that this bill will help the CALFED program move 
forward in the right direction.
  In California, as in many parts of the West, water is our lifeblood. 
For decades, water allocation was conducted through endless appeals and 
lawsuits, and divisive ballot initiatives. Such battles were painful 
and, they prevented us from finding real solutions to our state's very 
real water problems.
  In 1994, a new state-federal partnership program called CALFED 
promised a better way--a plan to provide reliable, clean water to 
farms, businesses, and millions of Californians while at the same time 
restoring our fish, wildlife and environment. What has made CALFED work 
is that it employs a consensus approach that balances the needs of 
these various interests.
  This bill stays true to that balanced approach. It authorizes the 
continuation of the CALFED program over the next 5 years and provides 
for a federal contribution of $2.4 billion over that time period. The 
bill requires that the CALFED program goals of protecting drinking 
water quality, restoring ecological health, improving water supply 
reliability, and protecting Delta levees progress in a balanced manner. 
The bill describes a detailed set of reports that should be provided to 
Congress prior to approving any project costing over $10 million. This 
reporting process is designed to ensure that major projects are not 
approved until the environmental and economic impacts are clearly 
understood.
  I believe CALFED offers the best hope for ending California's 
intractable water wars. This bill will ensure that the CALFED program 
can continue its good work.
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