[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 145 (Thursday, October 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2467-E2468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF THE ``WATER TRANSFER FACILITATION ACT OF 2009''

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 7, 2009

  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, today with Congressman Cardoza I introduced 
the ``Water Transfer Facilitation Act of 2009.'' The measure should 
reduce unnecessary delays in water transfers at a time when Central 
Valley farmers have been hard hit by a three-year drought. It would 
allow new water transfers of roughly 250,000 to 300,000 acre-feet of 
water per year. The bill would grant new authority to the Bureau of 
Reclamation to approve voluntary water transfers between sellers and 
buyers in the San Joaquin Valley. The measure also would streamline 
environmental reviews for Central Valley water transfers by ensuring 
that they occur on a programmatic basis, instead of the current 
project-by-project basis.
  Transferring water between and within counties for water districts is 
a critical tool during periods of drought. While the best solution 
would be to have the federal and state pumps fully operational, because 
we have been unable to modify the Endangered Species Act, this change 
in the law provides us some relief. This legislation makes permanent 
the ability to transfer water to our Valley's farms when it is most 
needed, therefore, allowing our farmers a lifeline to continue to grow 
crops and help our local economy. More will need to be done to protect 
the Valley's water, and I will continue that fight.
  The bill is supported by a great number of water users across the 
Central Valley, including the following: Friant Water Users Authority, 
San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Authority, Delta-Mendota Canal 
Authority, Westlands Water District, Metropolitan Water District, Glenn 
Colusa Irrigation District, Northern California Water Association, 
Banta-Carbona Irrigation District, Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority, 
Association of California Water Agencies, Placer County Water Agency, 
Conaway Preservation Group, and Reclamation District 2035.
  I have submitted several of these support letters, and I understand 
that Mr. Cardoza will submit additional letters as well.

                                 Friant Water Users Authority,

                                     Lindsay, CA, October 1, 2009.
     Subject: Support for transfer legislation for the Central 
         Valley Project.

     Hon. Congressman Jim Costa,
     Longworth House Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Costa: On behalf of Friant Water Users 
     Authority (Authority), we thank you for introducing transfer 
     legislation for the Central Valley Project (CVP) and we 
     support your efforts and this legislation as a means of 
     providing greater flexibility for management of CVP water 
     supplies.
       The diminished water deliveries to the CVP as a result of 3 
     years of below average precipitation amplified by various 
     regulatory restrictions, including the ESA and the most 
     recent delta smelt and salmon Biological Opinions, have, as 
     you know, created a desperate situation in the San Joaquin 
     Valley.
       While long-term solutions are being sought, numerous short 
     term efforts are needed to help bridge the water supply gap 
     and greater flexibility, as provided in your legislation, to 
     move water supplies across the San Joaquin Valley would be a 
     useful tool. In addition, the legislation would help Friant 
     districts affected by the SJR Settlement improve management 
     of surface and groundwater supplies.
       The Authority consists of nineteen member water, irrigation 
     and public utility districts. The Friant Service area 
     includes approximately one million acres and 15,000 mostly 
     small family farms on the east side of the southern San 
     Joaquin Valley (Madera, Fresno, Tulare and Kern County). 
     Friant Division water supplies are also relied upon by 
     several cities and towns, including the City of Fresno, as a 
     major portion of their municipal and industrial water 
     supplies.
       We look forward to engaging in this effort and working 
     closely with you and your staff in advancing this legislation 
     and addressing California water issues.
           Sincerely,
                                               Ronald D. Jacobsma,
                                       Consulting General Manager.
                                  ____
                                  
                                          San Luis & Delta Mendota


                                              Water Authority,

                                   Los Banos, CA, October 5, 2009.
     Re Water Transfer Facilitation Act of 2009.

     Hon. Dianne Feinstein,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Barbara Boxer,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Dennis Cardoza,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jim Costa,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Feinstein, Senator Boxer, Mr. Cardoza, and Mr. 
     Costa: I am writing on behalf of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota 
     Water Authority to express our enthusiastic support for your 
     bill, the Water Transfer Facilitation Act of 2009, 
     authorizing certain transfers of water in the Central Valley 
     Project and other purposes. Water transfers are essential to 
     sound water management and often are time sensitive. Your 
     legislation will bring important reform to existing transfer 
     authorization thus increasing the efficacy of this essential 
     water management tool.
       As you are keenly aware, coping with California's water 
     crisis and, in particular, the chronic water supply shortages 
     impacting the Central Valley Project demands utilization of 
     various best management practices

[[Page E2468]]

     including water transfers. Moreover, the need to transfer 
     water is often urgent and in response to climactic conditions 
     that are frequently sporadic and ephemeral. Regrettably, 
     bureaucratic process can unnecessarily thwart successful 
     execution of a transfer and the best management of this all 
     too precious resource. The clarity your legislation brings to 
     existing authorizations will only improve the capability of 
     water managers throughout the State to effectively respond to 
     the ongoing crisis and put our scant water resources to use 
     even more efficiently.
       The Westside of the great San Joaquin Valley is inarguably 
     the most transfer dependent region of the State. Your efforts 
     to address this important matter as well as your vast 
     knowledge of and longstanding commitment to water resource 
     issues vital to the State are most deeply appreciated. If 
     there is anything I can do to be of further service to you in 
     this cause, please do not hesitate to call.
           Very truly yours,
                                                 Daniel G. Nelson,
     Executive Director.
                                  ____



                             Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District,

                                     Willows, CA, October 2, 2009.
     Re Support for water transfer legislation.

     Hon. Jim Costa,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Costa: On behalf of Glenn-Colusa 
     Irrigation District (GCID), we thank you for introducing 
     legislation authorizing and establishing a permanent long-
     term program to promote and manage water transfers in the 
     Central Valley of California. We support your efforts and 
     this legislation as a means of providing greater flexibility 
     in the management of Central Valley Project (CVP) and other 
     water supplies to help meet unmet needs critical to the 
     future of the State of California.
       As you are aware, the devastating impacts of diminished 
     water deliveries to the CVP as a result of 3 years of below 
     average precipitation have been made even greater by the 
     various regulatory restrictions, including the requirements 
     established by the recent federal biological opinions for 
     endangered fish under the ESA. Your legislation will provide 
     immediate, much needed relief in the form of a flexible and 
     useful tool that will allow water to be transferred from 
     willing parties to those in need within the CVP.
       GCID is the largest and one of the oldest diverters of 
     water from the Sacramento River, dating back to 1880. As a 
     senior water right holder and CVP Sacramento River Settlement 
     Contractor, we believe we can and will actively participate 
     in this water transfer program. The language in your 
     legislation directing the Bureau of Reclamation to work with 
     other federal agencies to implement the necessary long-term 
     environmental processes addressing impacts of a water 
     transfer program on the ESA-listed Giant Garter Snake will be 
     imperative to its usefulness and success.
       We look forward to working with you and your staff in the 
     coming months in this important legislative effort, and 
     appreciate your leadership in advancing this legislation and 
     addressing California water issues so important to our 
     collective future.
           Sincerely,
                                              Thaddeus L. Bettner,
                                                  General Manager.


                            Banta-Carbona Irrigation District,

                                       Tracy, CA, October 2, 2009.
     Re Water Transfer Facilitation Act of 2009.

     Hon. Dianne Feinstein,
     Hart Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Dennis Cardoza,
     Longworth Building,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jim Costa,
     Longworth House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Honorable Public Servants: We encourage you to pass 
     this proposed bill as it can only help Californians best use 
     the waters within the state. It is a waste of storage and 
     conveyance systems to limit the uses of these facilities to 
     strictly one brand of water, ie. CVP water. When facilities 
     can be used to move various sources of water to diverse 
     destinations and beneficial uses then the facilities are 
     doing the most good for the American public. These public 
     facilities will then better serve municipal, industrial and 
     agricultural water needs while the environment is being 
     served during times of drought. This bill will clarify a 
     portion of law that federal regulatory agencies are 
     interpreting in such a way as to prevent conveyance and 
     storage of otherwise legal water transfers within the State 
     of California in Federal facilities. Please pursue passage of 
     this legislative correction.
           Sincerely,
                                               David Weisenberger,
     General Manager.

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