[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 145 (Thursday, October 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2480-E2481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




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

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DENNIS A. CARDOZA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 7, 2009

  Mr. CARDOZA. Madam Speaker, today with Congressman Costa, 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 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 fully operate the federal and state pumps, 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, Glen 
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 the Reclamation District 2035.
  I have submitted several of these support letters here for the 
record, and I understand that Mr. Costa will submit additional letters 
as well.

                                         Association of California


                                               Water Agencies,

                                                  October 6, 2009.
     Re ACWA support for Water Transfer Legislation.

     Representative Cardoza,
     Longworth House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
     Representative Costa,
     Longworth House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives Cardoza and Costa: Thank you for 
     introducing water transfer legislation for the Central Valley 
     Project (CVP) which ACWA is pleased to support. As 
     California's water supply challenges multiply, this 
     legislation can provide greater flexibility for management of 
     CVP water supplies. As you know, ACWA's 450 public agency 
     members are collectively responsible for 90 percent of the 
     water delivered in California for residential and 
     agricultural uses.
       California's water supply situation is dire and worsening. 
     Three years of below average precipitation along with heavy 
     regulatory restrictions through the ESA and Biological 
     Opinions, have seriously diminished California's water 
     supplies. Under these conditions, it is essential that short 
     term actions, such as provided by your legislation to 
     flexibly enable water supplies to move across the San Joaquin 
     Valley, be pursued.
       Again, thank you for introducing water transfer 
     legislation. ACWA looks forward to working with you to secure 
     its passage in an expedited manner.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Timothy Quinn,
                                               Executive Director.

[[Page E2481]]

                                               Northern California


                                            Water Association,

                                  Sacramento, CA, October 2, 2009.
     Re Support for Water Transfer Legislation.

     Hon. Jim Costa,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Costa: On behalf of the Northern 
     California Water Association (NCWA), 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 three 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.
       NCWA was formed in 1992 to present a unified voice working 
     to resolve California's water issues and protect the water 
     rights and supplies of the diverse Northern California 
     region, now and into the future. NCWA represents 54 
     agricultural water districts and agencies, private water 
     companies, and individual water rights holders with rights 
     and entitlements to the surface waters and groundwater 
     resources of the Sacramento Valley. Many of our members 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,
                                                         Donn Zea,
     President and CEO.
                                  ____



                                Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority,

                                     Willows, CA, October 5, 2009.
     Re Support for Water Transfer Legislation.

     Hon. Jim Costa,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Costa: On behalf of the Tehama Colusa 
     Canal Authority (TCCA), we thank you for introducing 
     legislation authorizing and establishing a programmatic 
     program to promote and manage water transfers in California, 
     including the Sacramento Valley. We support your efforts and 
     this legislation as a means of providing greater regulatory 
     certainty for the management of Central Valley Project (CVP) 
     water supplies for water users.
       As you are aware, the TCCA is intimately aware of the 
     impacts of diminished water deliveries to the CVP as a result 
     of below average precipitation and regulatory requirements 
     placed upon the CVP and its water users through the 
     requirements established by the recent National Marine 
     Fisheries Service biological opinions for endangered salmon. 
     Your legislation will provide 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.
       Many of our members have participated in water transfer 
     programs in the past and would continue under this 
     legislation in a more flexible manner. Also, 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,
                                                   Jeffrey Sutton,
     General Manager.
                                  ____

         The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California,
                                 Los Angeles, CA, October 5, 2009.
     Hon. Dianne Feinstein,
     U.S. Senate, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Feinstein: The Metropolitan Water District of 
     Southern California is pleased to support the legislation you 
     are introducing related to water transfers for the Central 
     Valley Project (CVP). This legislation will help provide good 
     water management while providing flexibility for CVP 
     customers.
       As a regional wholesale water provider, Metropolitan 
     provides water for nearly 19 million people throughout our 
     six-county service area in Southern California. As 
     Metropolitan and the entire state continue to address water 
     supply challenges throughout California, the vitality of our 
     economy and environment has been seriously affected. Your 
     proposed legislation will help address these critically 
     important issues.
       Please let me know if we can be helpful in any way.
           Sincerely,
                                              Jeffrey Kightlinger,
     General Manager.

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