[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 167 (Tuesday, November 18, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S15062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BENNETT:
  S. 1876. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey 
certain lands and facilities of the Provo River Project; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
authorizing the title transfer of certain features of the Provo River 
Project, UT, from the Bureau of Reclamation to non-Federal ownership. 
This title transfer will provide many benefits, both directly and 
indirectly, for both the local government and the Federal Government, 
including economic, environmental, recreational, and safety benefits.
  The facilities to be transferred are the Provo Reservoir Canal and 
associated lands and structures, the Salt Lake Aqueduct and associated 
lands and structures, and a 3.79 acre parcel of land in Pleasant Grove, 
UT. The Provo Reservoir Canal is a large, open, mostly unlined, 21.5 
mile long canal that was constructed by the United States in the 1940s. 
The water transported through the Provo Reservoir Canal is used 
principally for municipal and industrial purposes. The Salt Lake 
Aqueduct is a 41.7 mile long, 69 inch diameter pipe, constructed by the 
United States and completed in 1951. The Provo River Water Users 
Association recently constructed a $2 million office and shop complex 
on the Pleasant Grove property, without the use of Federal funds.
  Title transfer will facilitate the use of tax-exempt bond financing 
and low-interest loan financing for needed improvements. Currently, 
there is no Reclamation program for rehabilitating aging Reclamation 
facilities. Federal ownership of the facilities to be improved prevents 
low interest loans by others. On the Federal level, the transfer would 
eliminate the demands on limited Reclamation resources for the 
administration of the Salt Lake Aqueduct and the Provo Reservoir Canal.
  It is anticipated that following title transfer, needed improvements 
would be made. For example, the Provo Reservoir Canal will be enclosed 
to provide for the conservation of water, improved water quality and 
security, the construction of a public trail system on top of the 
canal, and to eliminate the hazards of an open unlined canal in an 
urban environment. The critical importance of eliminating the safety 
hazard of an open canal in an urban setting was recently reinforced by 
the tragic death of two young men who unfortunately were lured by the 
thrill of attempting a swim through the canal to the other end. The 
enclosure of the canal would eliminate this safety risk and hopefully 
prevent any others from making a similar mistake.
  The transfer has significant local support, including Utah County, 
Salt Lake County, Sandy City, Salt Lake City, Lindon City, Draper, 
Pleasant Grove City, Orem City and American Fork City.
  I look forward to working with the Metropolitan Water District of 
Salt Lake and Sandy, the Provo River Water Users Association, and all 
interested parties to make this title transfer a success.
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