[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 127 (Monday, November 13, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8588-H8589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        PACTOLA RESERVOIR REALLOCATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 819) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
reallocate costs of the Pactola Dam and Reservoir, South Dakota, to 
reflect increased demands for municipal, industrial, and fish and 
wildlife purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 819

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Pactola Reservoir 
     Reallocation Authorization Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) it is appropriate to reallocate the costs of the 
     Pactola Dam and Reservoir, South Dakota, to reflect increased 
     demands for municipal, industrial, and fish and wildlife 
     purposes; and
       (2) section 302 of the Department of Energy Organization 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 7152) prohibits such a reallocation of costs 
     without congressional approval.

     SEC. 3. REALLOCATION OF COSTS OF PACTOLA DAM AND RESERVOIR, 
                   SOUTH DAKOTA.

       The Secretary of the Interior may, as provided in the 
     contract of August 2001 entered into between Rapid City, 
     South Dakota, and the Rapid Valley Conservancy District, 
     reallocate, in a manner consistent with Federal reclamation 
     law (the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), 
     and Acts supplemental to and amendatory of that Act (43 
     U.S.C. 371 et seq.)), the construction costs of Pactola Dam 
     and Reservoir, Rapid Valley Unit, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin 
     Program, South Dakota, from irrigation purposes to municipal, 
     industrial, and fish and wildlife purposes.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Radanovich) and the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. 
Herseth) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Senate 819, introduced by Senator Tim Johnson of South 
Dakota, reallocates the costs of the Pactola Dam and Reservoir to 
reflect growing municipal needs for water. As Rapid City's municipal 
water needs are growing at a rapid rate and demand for local irrigation 
water decreases, this legislation appropriately reallocates the costs 
associated with the changing water needs. This bill is a win for the 
citizens of Rapid City and a win for the American taxpayer, and I urge 
my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HERSETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Ms. HERSETH asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. HERSETH. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support S. 819, sponsored by 
Senator Tim Johnson, which is the counterpart to legislation I 
sponsored which passed this body earlier this year. This bill 
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to reallocate the construction 
costs of Pactola Dam and Reservoir. This important water supply project 
is located just 15 miles west of Rapid City in my home State of South 
Dakota.
  The water supply needs of the Rapid City area have changed 
dramatically since the Bureau of Reclamation built Pactola Dam 50 years 
ago. Rapid City is the second largest city in South Dakota, and there 
is no doubt this metropolitan area will continue to enjoy strong 
economic and population growth. The cost reallocation authorized in 
this legislation will simply allow the Secretary of the Interior to 
modernize the financial structure of the project to reflect the 
changing water supply needs of this area of my State.
  I want to thank Chairman Radanovich, Ranking Member Napolitano, and 
committee staff for working with me to advance the House counterpart of 
this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 819.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, the Pactola Dam, located near Rapid 
City, South Dakota, stores water from Rapid Creek and is part of the 
Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. This bill authorizes reallocation of 
a portion of the construction costs of the Pactola Dam and Reservoir 
from irrigation purposes to municipal and industrial and fish and 
wildlife purposes.
  The effort to reallocate Pactola Dam costs stems from the population 
growth around Rapid City, with corresponding increases in demand for 
M&I water and decreases in demand for irrigation water. Pactola Dam 
originally provided water storage for flood control, irrigation, and 
M&I uses. A 40-year water service contract between the Bureau of 
Reclamation and Rapid City for M&I water expired in 1991.

[[Page H8589]]

Water for Rapid City has been subsequently provided under annual 
contracts. A second 40-year contract between reclamation and the Rapid 
Valley Conservancy District for irrigation water expired in 2001. The 
district decided not to renew this contract due to decreased irrigation 
demand and sufficient alternative water sources. Since the district no 
longer needs Pactola water, repayment of construction costs originally 
allocated to irrigation can be reallocated to M&I uses and fish and 
wildlife purposes. Under law, Congress must authorize this 
reallocation.
  As I close with the Resources Committee issues today, Mr. Speaker, I 
want to thank Lisa Pittman, our chief counsel on the Resources 
Committee, for all her hard work during the 109th Congress.
  Thank you, Lisa
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HERSETH. 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 California (Mr. Radanovich) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 819.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those voting have responded in the affirmative.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. 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 question will 
be postponed.

                          ____________________