[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 88 (Monday, July 10, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H4921-H4922]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AUTHORIZING SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCT FEASIBILITY STUDIES 
         WITHIN SNAKE, BOISE AND PAYETTE RIVER SYSTEMS IN IDAHO

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 2563) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
conduct feasibility studies to address certain water shortages within 
the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in Idaho, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2563

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

     SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT FEASIBILITY STUDIES.

       (a) Authority.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting 
     through the Bureau of Reclamation, is authorized to conduct 
     feasibility studies on projects that address water shortages 
     within the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in Idaho, 
     and deemed appropriate for further study by the 2006 Bureau 
     of Reclamation Boise Payette water storage assessment report. 
     Studies conducted under this section must comply with Bureau 
     of Reclamation policy standards and guidelines for studies.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior 
     $3,000,000 to carry out this section.
       (c) Sunset of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary of 
     the Interior to carry out this section shall terminate 10 
     years after the date of the enactment of this section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Pallone) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 2563, introduced by Congressman Butch Otter, authorizes the 
Bureau of Reclamation to conduct feasibility studies to address water 
shortages within the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in Idaho.
  Water demands for agriculture, power generation, endangered species 
requirements and municipal needs are constantly growing and may quickly 
surpass the supply without long-term planning. It is anticipated that 
water demand in this region of Idaho will grow by 75 percent in the 
next 20 years, and new water supplies need to be found to meet these 
growing demands. Before any feasibility study can be performed, 
authorizing language must be enacted by Congress. This legislation 
authorizes such studies. I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation.

                              {time}  1415

  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, we have no objection to passage of H.R. 
2563. This legislation gives the Bureau of Reclamation the authority to 
conduct specific feasibility studies to look at projects that might 
address the water shortages in the Snake, Boise, and Payette River 
systems in Idaho.
  We have no objection to the current system in its current form.
  Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, today, we are debating H.R. 2563, a bill to 
provide broad authority for the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct 
feasibility studies of new and enhanced water storage opportunities on 
the Snake, Boise, and Payette Rivers in Idaho. I introduced this 
legislation and am working for its passage because I believe it is 
important to find new water resources rather than just dividing up the 
scarce resources we currently have.
  I have been told that consumptive demand in the Boise and Payette 
basins will increase by at least 135,000 acre feet over the next 20 
years. Growing demand now is being met by increased ground water use 
and conservation efforts, but those are short-term responses that beg 
the question of future needs.
  We also know that most of the water supply in both basins already is 
allocated and there is little excess capacity to meet future demands. 
Further, the ability to capture and store additional water is limited 
by requirements for minimum fish flow, maintenance flows, flood control 
and annual refill of existing reservoirs. These factors make this 
undertaking difficult at best, but I believe it is worthwhile and 
necessary.

[[Page H4922]]

  Our communities, our economy and our families all depend on water to 
survive, grow and prosper. Deciding how to use such a rare commodity in 
a way that does the greatest good for the greatest number, while hewing 
to the principles of law and equity on which our society is based, is 
an enormous challenge. The task is further complicated, and brought 
into sharp focus, by the 6-year drought Idaho recently experienced and 
is seen in much of the arid West.
  Our energy, our economy and our environment all will depend on the 
ability to anticipate and prioritize future water needs. Our children, 
our grandchildren and generations to come all are depending on the 
choices we make today. Preserving water rights while providing for 
continued growth are a top priority of mine and I will continue to work 
to achieve that goal.
  I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this important piece of legislation.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2563, as amended.
  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. RADANOVICH. Madam 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 question will 
be postponed.

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