[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17360-17361]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 5409 ``THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST 
           RESPONSIBLE ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION ACT OF 2002''

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DARRELL E. ISSA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 19, 2002

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I would thank my colleagues Congressman 
Calvert, Congressman Hunter, Congressman Cunningham, Congressman 
Radanovich, Congressman Doolittle and Congresswoman Bono for their 
commitment to meeting southern California's energy demands and their 
continued concern for the communities and property owners affected by 
the need for a new transmission line.
  The Cleveland National Forest Responsible Electricity Transmission 
Act of 2002 will create a corridor through the Trabuco Ranger District 
of the Cleveland National Forest, whereby a 500 KV transmission line 
can be built to connect the Valley-Serrano transmission line (owned by 
Southern California Edison) to the Telega-Escondido transmission line 
(owned by San Diego Gas & Electric). The approval of this corridor will 
greatly strengthen a fragile California transmission grid while 
protecting hundreds of homes and businesses from condemnation.
  This bill is the result of discussions and negotiations among Members 
of Congress and

[[Page 17361]]

other interested parties for nearly a year. Our legislation follows the 
basic premise that we should utilize lands set aside for public use 
before condemning private property for a transmission line. Nearly 97 
percent of the corridor created by our bill will utilize public lands. 
SDG&E, the utility attempting to secure a corridor for a transmission 
line, has pledged their support for our legislation in order to avoid 
making a decision that would be detrimental to the people of the 
Temecula Valley.
  Our bill will do something else that California desperately needs. It 
will allow a local water district to connect a new source of power to 
the grid.
  The proposed hydro electric facility on Lake Elsinore, adjacent to 
the corridor, will enable the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District 
to place 600 megawatts of green peaker power onto the transmission grid 
when the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) needs it.
  In order for this project to become a reality, our legislation needs 
to become law. California needs both improved electrical infrastructure 
and a greater generation capacity: our bill is a step towards achieving 
these goals.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here talking about this common sense 
legislation. I, along with my colleagues, look forward to working with 
Chairman Barton and Chairman Tauzin to make this important legislation 
law.

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