Congressional Record, Volume 148 Issue 90 (Monday, July 8, 2002)

[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 90 (Monday, July 8, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H4330-H4331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE RATHDRUM PRAIRIE/SPOKANE VALLEY AQUIFER

Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4609) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
comprehensive study of the Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer,
located in Idaho and Washington.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 4609

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

SECTION 1. COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE RATHDRUM PRAIRIE/
SPOKANE VALLEY AQUIFER.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, in
consultation with the State of Idaho and the State of
Washington, shall conduct a comprehensive study of the
Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer for the purpose of
preparing a model of the aquifer and establishing for those
States a mutually acceptable understanding of the aquifer as
a ground water resource.
(b) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the Congress a
report on the findings and conclusions of the study by not
later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--For conducting the
study under this section there is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary $3,500,000.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 4609, the Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer Study Act of
2002, directs the Secretary of the Department of Interior to work with
the State of Idaho and the State of Washington to conduct a
comprehensive study for the Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer by
preparing a groundwater model to help establish a mutually acceptable
understanding of the aquifer as a groundwater resource. The tools
developed by this legislation will help to better coordinate and
understand the various factors that influence the quantity and quality
of the aquifer and encourage better cooperation between the two States
charged with its maintenance operations.
I would like to commend the gentleman from Washington (Mr.
Nethercutt), the sponsor of this legislation, for his work on this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt).
Mr. NETHERCUTT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me
this time and I am pleased to make a statement in support of this bill.
There is nothing in the Northwest States that is more precious than
our air and our water. We in eastern Washington and northern Idaho are
blessed with not only these great resources but especially our clean
water. We think it is some of the best water in the entire world to
drink. So we want to make sure that it is protected, and that is what
this bill does.
This bill was introduced by me and by the gentleman from northern
Idaho

[[Page H4331]]

(Mr. Otter) because we are affected by this bill, and the aquifer which
traverses both States affects our respective districts. So we are proud
to introduce this bill which calls for a study, as the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) mentioned, to analyze this aquifer, to
understand what is there so we can make sure we protect it and wisely
manage it. One of the great challenges for us in the Pacific Northwest
is to make sure that our abundant resources, our natural resources, our
mountains, our streams, our rivers, our lakes, our entire environment
is well managed by Federal agencies and by private resources.
So in the case of the aquifer we have a situation where there are
some economic interests that want to use it. They want to use it as a
resource to provide industrial benefit to eastern Washington and
northern Idaho.
But before they do so, we have to be sure that it is protected. What
this bill does is to take a hard look at doing a model and a study to
make sure we know what is there so that it can be protected.
There is also a disparity in consideration of aquifer use, of
economic development, on either side of the border. Spokane,
Washington, is my hometown, the major city in my district, the largest
population center. It is about 32 miles from the Idaho border. Coeur
d'Alene, Idaho, rests on the other side of the border in Idaho that is
represented by the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter), and the States of
Idaho and Washington have very different consideration times for
permitting, for permitting for economic benefit and use.
In Idaho, if we want to get a permit, it can take months; in
Washington, it can take years. So we think that in doing this study and
having the Committee on Resources in Congress adopt this position in a
study, we can make sure that there is some continuity of interest in
analysis and development that would rest on each side of the border, so
that the legislatures of each side, each State, each respective State,
would have a chance to look at this issue and understand what is there,
and then make policy decisions that are coordinated rather than
disparate.
So I can say to the House that there is unanimity on the part of our
chambers of commerce that this is a wise approach. There are five
chambers of commerce that are in Idaho and Washington State that are
affected by this issue, and they are of the opinion and their
memberships are of the opinion that this is a wise thing to do; that
is, make sure we know what is in the aquifer, what its considerations
and characteristics are, so that we can make sure we manage it wisely.
I especially want to thank the Committee on Resources. The gentleman
from California (Mr. Calvert) and his subcommittee presented this bill
in very fast consideration, very fair consideration. The entire
Committee on Resources passed it out. I especially am grateful to that
Committee on Resources that took into account this very important
measure that affects a large area in eastern Washington and northern
Idaho.
I will restate again that the environmental protections that we seek
from this bill are sensible, they are reasonable, and they are timely.
It is estimated that there are millions of gallons that go through this
aquifer and would be presented by it, but we have to be sure that we
know what is there, and we have to be sure that what is there is wisely
managed so that we protect this wonderful resource that we have in the
Pacific Northwest, a clean environment, a great place to live and work,
a great place to have economic development, at the same time we protect
our environmental resources.
So I will thank the gentleman from Nebraska and his counterpart, the
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), for his courtesy in allowing me to say
a few words in support of my bill. I speak on behalf of the gentleman
from Idaho (Mr. Otter) in thanking the committee and subcommittee of
jurisdiction for considering this measure, and we hope it will pass
overwhelmingly.
Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. WU asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4609 directs the Secretary of the Interior
to conduct a study of groundwater resources in certain areas of
Washington and Idaho. In the Pacific Northwest, our water resources are
precious resources, and we expect the results of the study to provide
the States with reliable information they can use to better manage the
groundwater resource which is shared between the States.
I commend my colleagues, the gentlemen from Idaho and Washington, for
bringing this legislation to the floor, and urge my colleagues to
support H.R. 4609.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kolbe). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4609.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.

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