[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7396-H7397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   MOKELUMNE RIVER FEASIBILITY STUDY

  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4045) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to prepare 
a feasibility study with respect to the Mokelumne River, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4045

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

     SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF MOKELUMNE RIVER REGIONAL WATER 
                   STORAGE AND CONJUNCTIVE USE PROJECT STUDY.

        Pursuant to the Reclamation Act of 1902 (32 Stat. 388) and 
     Acts amendatory thereof and supplemental thereto, the 
     Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this Act referred to 
     as the ``Secretary'') is authorized to prepare a feasibility 
     study entitled the ``Mokelumne River Regional Water Storage 
     and Conjunctive Use Project Study'' for a project to provide 
     additional water supply and improve water management 
     flexibility through the development of new water storage and 
     conjunctive use programs.

     SEC. 2. USE OF REPORTS AND OTHER INFORMATION.

        In developing the Mokelumne River Regional Water Storage 
     and Conjunctive Use Project Study, the Secretary shall use, 
     as appropriate, reports and any other relevant information 
     supplied by the Mokelumne River Water and Power Authority, 
     the East Bay Municipal Utility District and other 
     stakeholders.

     SEC. 3. DEADLINE.

       The Secretary shall complete the Mokelumne River Regional 
     Water Storage and Conjunctive Use Project Study and provide 
     copies of that study to the Committee on Resources of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on

[[Page H7397]]

     Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate not later than 2 
     years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 4. COST SHARES.

       (a) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the 
     Mokelumne River Regional Water Storage and Conjunctive Use 
     Project Study shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost 
     of the study.
       (b) In-Kind Contributions.--The Secretary shall accept, as 
     appropriate, such in-kind contributions of goods or services 
     from the Mokelumne River Water and Power Authority as the 
     Secretary determines will contribute to the conduct and 
     completion of the Mokelumne River Regional Water Storage and 
     Conjunctive Use Project Study. Goods and services accepted 
     under this section shall be counted as part of the non-
     federal cost share for that study.

     SEC. 5. WATER RIGHTS.

       Nothing in this Act shall be construed to invalidate, 
     preempt, or create any exception to State water law, State 
     water rights, or Federal or State permitted activities or 
     agreements.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
     $3,000,000 for the Federal cost share of the Mokelumne River 
     Regional Water Storage and Conjunctive Use Project Study.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer).


                             General Leave

  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4045.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation, authored by the distinguished chairman 
of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Pombo), helps resolve a growing water supply problem in San Joaquin 
County, California. The area's water supplies are being depleted 
because of rapid population growth, highly significant groundwater 
overdraft, and saline intrusion. This situation grows worse every day.
  This has prompted San Joaquin County officials to seek a more 
dependable and reliable water supply through extensive water 
development and planning studies.
  H.R. 4045 authorizes limited Federal assistance to complete this 
effort. The project study authorized in this legislation will examine 
ways to capture flood flows from an area river in order to develop up 
to 65,000 new acre feet of water. The study will also determine whether 
or not the project construction is even feasible, since current water 
rights on the river, economic factors, and potential environmental 
impacts will be examined.
  As passed by the Committee on Resources, this legislation also 
expressly protects State water law and current permits and agreements 
on the river.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill will help provide a much needed solution to a 
growing water problem, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill would authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to work with local interests to study possible projects to stabilize 
groundwater levels in San Joaquin County in California.
  I appreciate the efforts made by the chairman of the Committee on 
Resources and the author of this bill, the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Pombo), to accommodate the concerns of neighboring water users. 
Section 2 of the bill was amended in committees to allow the 
participation of the East Bay Municipal Utility District as this 
project goes through the planning stages.
  We have no objection to passage of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4045, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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