[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26052]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 26052]]

 CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 2796, WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2000

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                               speech of

                            HON. BUD SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 3, 2000

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, section 430, Atchafalaya River, Bayous 
Chene, Boeuf, and Black, Louisiana: Nothing in this section should be 
interpreted so as to delay the immediate implementation of solutions to 
improve navigation on the Atchafalaya River, Bayous Chene, Boeuf, and 
Black project as provided under existing authorities and directives.
  Section 433, Lake Pontchartrain Seawall: The Corps should take into 
account the cost savings and benefits to the entire Lake Pontchartrain 
Hurricane Protection and Flood Control project when determining 
justification for modifications and rehabilitation to the seawall. 
Prior cost savings and benefits provided by the seawall should be taken 
into account when determining whether structural modifications and 
rehabilitation of the seawall are justified.
  Section 530, Urbanized Peak Flood Management, New Jersey: Activities 
authorized by this section should be carried out in coordination with 
qualified academic institutions, such as the New Jersey Institute of 
Technology (NJIT). Conferees are also aware that NJIT has expressed 
interest in having its campus serve as the location for such research 
efforts.
  Section 532, Upper Mohawk River Basin, New York: This important 
project has the potential to provide not just flood control and 
wildlife habitat (through wetlands restoration) but also water quality 
improvements and other environmental benefits.
  Title VI, Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan: First, the 
provision recognizes the importance of the modified water deliveries 
project authorized by the Everglades National Park Protection and 
Expansion Act of 1989 by presuming that this project is completed.
  While the primary purpose of the modified water deliveries project is 
to restore natural flows to the Everglades, it contains a number of 
provisions to provide critical flood control and property rights 
protections to private landowners potentially impacted by the projects.
  Nothing in WRDA 2000 should be interpreted to diminish statutory 
protections to landowners in section 104 of Public Law 101-229.
  Second, section 601(h)(3)(C)(ii) addresses the limitation on the 
applicability of programmatic regulations. Nothing in this paragraph 
affects the public's ability to participate and comment on the 
development of project implementation reports, project cooperation 
agreements, operation manuals, and any other documents relating to the 
development, implementation, and management of individual features of 
the Everglades restoration plan. In addition, nothing in this provision 
expands any agency's authority.
  The Corps should undertake a significant public education and 
outreach effort to describe the Everglades project. I encourage the 
Corps to work closely with nonfederal institutions that have the 
respect of the community. I understand one such institution is the 
Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, which has entered 
into an agreement with the south Florida ecosystem restoration task 
force to provide public education and outreach in conjunction with the 
restoration effort. As my colleague Representative Clay Shaw mentioned 
during consideration of the house bill, the Museum of Discovery and 
Science is situated to carry out these functions through a planned 
facility and exhibition. I urge the Corps to work closely with the 
museum and to provide financial and technical assistance to ensure 
visitors to south Florida have a fair and balanced understanding of the 
comprehensive Everglades restoration plan.
  Oklahoma-Tribal Commission: The managers find that the economic 
trends in southeastern Oklahoma related to unemployment and per capita 
income are not conducive to local economic development, and efforts to 
improve the management of water in the region would have a positive 
influence on the local economy, help reverse these trends, and improve 
the lives of local residents. The managers believe that State of 
Oklahoma, the Choctaw Nation, Oklahoma, and the Chickasaw Nation, 
Oklahoma, should establish a State-Tribal Commission composed equally 
of representatives of such nations and residents of the water basins 
within the boundaries of such nations for the purpose of administering 
and distributing from the sale of water any benefits and net revenues 
to the tribes and local entities within the respective basins; any sale 
of water to entities outside the basins should be consistent with the 
procedures and requirements established by the commission; and if 
requested, the secretary should provide assistance, as appropriate, to 
facilitate the efforts of the commission. Such a commission focusing on 
the Kiamichi River Basin and other basins within the Choctaw and 
Chickasaw Nations would allow all entities (State of Oklahoma, Choctaw 
and Chickasaw Nations, and residents of local basin(s)) to work 
cooperatively to see that the benefits and revenues being generated 
from the sale/use of water to entities outside the respective basins 
are distributed in an agreeable manner.
  Mr. Speaker, many staff worked for many days and months on this 
landmark and legislation. At the risk of omitting some, I'd like to 
thank a few by name: Jack Schenendorf, Mike Strachn, Roger Nober, John 
Anderson, Donna Campbell, Corry Marshall, Sara Gray, Susan Bodine, 
Carrie Jelsma, Ben Grumbles, Ken Kopocis, Art Chan, and Pam Keller of 
the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Tom Gibson, Stephanie 
Daigle, Chelsea Henderson Maxwell, Ann Loomis, Jo-Ellen Darcy, Peter 
Washburn, Catherine Cyr, and C.K. Lee of the Senate; and Larry Prather, 
Gary Campbell, Milton Rider, and Bill Schmitz of the Corps of 
Engineers.

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