[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 149 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5720-H5721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    GREAT SALT LAKE STEWARDSHIP ACT

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4094) to amend the Central Utah Project Completion Act to 
authorize expenditures for the conduct of certain water conservation 
measures in the Great Salt Lake basin, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4094

       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 ``Great Salt Lake Stewardship 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES IN THE GREAT SALT LAKE 
                   BASIN.

       Title II of the Central Utah Project Completion Act (Public 
     Law 102-575; 106 Stat. 4605) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

     ``SEC. 213. WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES IN THE GREAT SALT 
                   LAKE BASIN.

       ``(a) In General.-- The Secretary may use any unexpended 
     budget authority provided under subsections (a)(2) and (c) of 
     section 202 for the conduct of water conservation measures 
     within the Great Salt Lake basin in accordance with section 
     207.
       ``(b) Compliance With Definite Plan Report.--Any water 
     conservation measure conducted under subsection (a) shall be 
     considered to be compliant with the Definite Plan Report 
     completed under section 205(a).''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Ocasio-
Cortez) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 4094, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arkansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation led by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), which amends the Central Utah Project 
Completion Act.
  As we all know, the Great Salt Lake is one of Utah's most famous 
natural resources. In recent years, however, the lake levels have 
dropped to historic lows, posing a threat to the lake's ecosystem, 
local air quality, and the prosperity of surrounding communities.
  Mr. Curtis' legislation would authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to use Central Utah Project funds toward new water conservation 
measures to help recover the Great Salt Lake.
  Importantly, this bill does not require any new spending 
authorizations. I thank Representative Curtis and the rest of Utah's 
congressional delegation for their leadership on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4094, the Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act, would 
authorize expenditures and funding for water conservation measures 
within the Great Salt Lake basin.
  As drought conditions continue to worsen with climate change, the 
impacts are being felt throughout the West. One key example of the 
adverse consequences of climate change is the Great Salt Lake, which 
has been rapidly declining over the past few decades. In 2022, the lake 
reached all-time historic low water levels, presenting serious 
ecological concerns.
  The declines in the lake's water levels have threatened ecosystem 
health, disrupted bird migration, and led to concerns of exposure of 
toxic arsenic lake dust within the lake bottom, which could be carried 
out with the wind.
  The bill we are considering today seeks to address these serious 
ecological concerns by amending the Central Utah Project Completion Act 
to provide additional flexibility needed to redirect and authorize 
unexpended funds, specifically to support water conservation measures 
under the Water Management Improvement Program in the basin, and expand 
the program service area.
  The Great Salt Lake is only one example of the harms that climate 
change presents to communities and wildlife across the West. While this 
legislation is a step forward, Congress must be doing more to combat 
climate change and drought.
  This bill is a great step, and I urge my colleagues to support it, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Curtis), the sponsor of the bill.
  Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Great Salt Lake 
Stewardship Act.
  The Great Salt Lake is essential to the ecological and economic 
fabric of Utah. Residents have worked tirelessly to protect the lake, 
but severe drought now threatens its long-term survival.
  Recognizing this urgent challenge, the Great Salt Lake Stewardship 
Act would extend the existing Colorado River Water Conservation Program 
to include the Great Salt Lake. This would grant the Secretary of the 
Interior greater flexibility to allocate unused funds from other 
sections of the Central Utah Project Completion Act, also known as 
CUPCA, to the water conservation program.

[[Page H5721]]

  By expanding the program's geographical scope to cover the entire 
Great Salt Lake drainage basin, the bill would support State government 
of Utah, local communities, and water districts north of Salt Lake 
County in their conservation efforts to replenish the lake.
  The Great Salt Lake is a national treasure and a vital part of Utah's 
way of life. The bill demonstrates our commitment to protecting this 
valuable resource without requiring new Federal funds.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4094.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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