[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 74 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H4506-H4507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LOWER REPUBLICAN RIVER BASIN STUDY ACT
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 1025) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
conduct a study to determine the feasibility of implementing a water
supply and conservation project to improve water supply reliability,
increase the capacity of water storage, and improve water management
efficiency in the Republican River Basin between Harlan County Lake in
Nebraska and Milford Lake in Kansas.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1025
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 ``Lower Republican River Basin
Study Act''.
SEC. 2. REPUBLICAN RIVER BASIN FEASIBILITY STUDY.
(a) Authorization of Study.--Pursuant to reclamation laws,
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of
Reclamation and in consultation and cooperation with the
States of Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado, may conduct a study
to--
(1) determine the feasibility of implementing a water
supply and conservation project that will--
(A) improve water supply reliability in the Republican
River Basin between Harlan County Lake in Nebraska and
Milford Lake in Kansas, including areas in the counties of
Harlan, Franklin, Webster, and Nuckolls in Nebraska and
Jewel, Republic, Cloud, Washington, and Clay in Kansas (in
this section referred to as the ``Republican River Basin'');
(B) increase the capacity of water storage through
modifications of existing projects or through new projects
that serve areas in the Republican River Basin; and
(C) improve water management efficiency in the Republican
River Basin through conservation and other available means
and, where appropriate, evaluate integrated water resource
management and supply needs in the Republican River Basin;
and
(2) consider appropriate cost-sharing options for
implementation of the project.
(b) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of the
study shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the
study, and shall be nonreimbursable.
[[Page H4507]]
(c) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary shall undertake
the study through cooperative agreements with the State of
Kansas or Nebraska and other appropriate entities determined
by the Secretary.
(d) Completion and Report.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), not
later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this
section the Secretary of the Interior shall complete the
study and transmit to the Congress a report containing the
results of the study.
(2) Extension.--If the Secretary determines that the study
cannot be completed within the 3-year period beginning on the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary--
(A) shall, at the time of that determination, report to the
Congress on the status of the study, including an estimate of
the date of completion; and
(B) complete the study and transmit to the Congress a
report containing the results of the study by not later than
that date.
(e) Sunset of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary to
carry out any provisions of this Act shall terminate 10 years
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Mrs. Napolitano) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr.
Lamborn) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 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
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The purpose of H.R. 1025, as introduced by our colleague from Kansas
(Mr. Moran), is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
feasibility study on the Republican River Basin between Harlan County
Lake in Nebraska and Milford Lake in Kansas.
H.R. 1025 is a cooperative agreement between Nebraska, Kansas,
Colorado, and the Federal Government that calls for a feasibility study
of water resources of that river basin. The goal is to find new
solutions to provide water reliability, increase the capacity of the
current water storage, which is so important, and improve water
management efficiency. This study is imperative to the responsible
management of our water supplies.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1025.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 1025, introduced by our colleagues Jerry Moran and Adrian Smith,
implements the Republican River Compact Settlement as negotiated
between the States of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. This legislation
serves as the first step to increase water storage and water use
efficiency to benefit those served by the waters of the Republican
River.
I commend Mr. Moran and Mr. Smith for their leadership on this
important matter. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Smith).
Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. I thank the gentleman for yielding me time and
bringing this bill forward today.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1025 would authorize one of the requirements of the
Republican River Compact Settlement negotiated between the States of
Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado and approved by the Supreme Court in
2003. It is not only necessary to ensure the States remain in
compliance with this agreement, but to make certain the agriculture,
industrial and domestic use of the water is carried out in the most
efficient and effective manner possible.
The Lower Republican River Basin Study will examine how to better
utilize opportunities to increase water storage in the river basin. I
am hopeful the results of this study will lead to an increase in water
availability while we continue to encourage more efficient water use.
As many of you know, especially those from the Midwest, the current
water shortage has made this a very critical issue for my congressional
district. So if we can, through this study, allocate more water,
allocate water more effectively, it will help farmers, ranchers,
municipalities both in Nebraska and Kansas in the long term.
I want to thank Mr. Rahall, Mr. Young, and the Natural Resources
Committee staff for bringing forth this bill. I appreciate the
cooperation on both sides of the aisle. I urge Members of Congress to
approve this legislation.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1025, the
Lower Republican River Basin Study Act. I would like to thank Chairman
Rahall and the Resources Committee for helping to bring this
legislation before the House today.
The timing of this legislation is significant, not only for farmers
in Kansas who have dealt with successive years of drought and decreased
water supplies, but because the respective states have already
appropriated funds for the current fiscal year to conduct the
feasibility study authorized by this legislation.
H.R. 1025 is a product of the Republican River Compact Settlement.
That settlement resulted from litigation filed by the State of Kansas
against the States of Nebraska and Colorado in 1998 because required
amounts of water were not reaching Kansas under the Republican River
Compact terms. In 2003, the Republican River Compact Settlement brought
that litigation to an end.
The Settlement was signed not only by the party States, but also
administration officials and was subsequently approved by the United
States Supreme Court in 2003. As part of that Settlement, the Parties
agreed to have the Secretary of the Interior conduct a study to
determine the feasibility of implementing water supply and conservation
projects in the Republican River Basin below Harlan Reservoir. In
accordance with the Settlement Agreement, H.R. 1025 provides that the
cost of the study will be shared between the Federal Government and the
States of Kansas and Nebraska.
As of today, the States have done their part under the settlement
agreement. In fact, my home State of Kansas has already appropriated
funds for the current fiscal year. I also understand that Mr. Smith's
State of Nebraska has done the same.
Mr. Speaker, all that remains is for the Federal Government to meet
its obligation under the settlement agreement. The feasibility study is
desperately needed to increase water availability and encourage more
efficient water use and delivery systems.
The Lower Republican Basin has a history of periodic droughts and
water shortages. The upper third of the Kansas Bostwick Irrigation
District, which lies above Lovewell Reservoir, received limited water
allocations in 2003 and no water allocations in 2004 and 2005.
Producers in the lower two-thirds of the Kansas Bostwick Irrigation
District have also experienced water shortages since 2003. Irrigators
in this portion of the District have only received half of the base
supply they were supposed to receive. The project facilities in the
Lower Republican River Basin are over 50 years old. Changed
hydrological conditions and aging facilities require better utilization
of limited water supplies.
Mr. Speaker, the feasibility study authorized by H.R. 1025 is not
only necessary to ensure the states remain in compliance with an
interstate compact, but also to ensure the economic viability of the
rural communities that rely on delivery of a consistent supply of
water, and I urge Members to approve this legislation.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1025.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. 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.
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