[House Report 109-420]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
109th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 109-420
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TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCT FEASIBILITY
STUDIES TO ADDRESS CERTAIN WATER SHORTAGES WITHIN THE SNAKE, BOISE, AND
PAYETTE RIVER SYSTEMS IN IDAHO, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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April 25, 2006.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2563]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill
(H.R. 2563) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
conduct feasibility studies to address certain water shortages
within the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in Idaho,
and for other purposes, having considered the same, report
favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill
as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT FEASIBILITY STUDIES.
(a) Authority.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
bureau of Reclamation, is authorized to conduct feasibility studies on
projects that address water shortages within the Snake, Boise, and
Payette River systems in Idaho, and deemed appropriate for further
study by the 2006 Bureau of Reclamation Boise Payette water storage
assessment report. Studies conducted under this section must comply
with Bureau of Reclamation policy standards and guidelines for studies.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior $3,000,000 to carry out
this section.
(c) Sunset of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary of the
Interior to carry out this section shall terminate 10 years after the
date of the enactment of this section.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 2563 is to authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to conduct feasibility studies to address certain
water shortages within the Snake, Boise, and Payette River
systems in Idaho, and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
In Idaho, water demands for domestic and household uses,
irrigation, recreation, and Endangered Species Act requirements
are constantly growing and will surpass the current water
supply without long term planning. A water use assessment and
forecast study, funded by the Bureau of Reclamation, estimated
that by 2025, annual water demand in the Boise Valley would
grow by 74 percent. As a result of these forecast water
shortages, many have called for more water storage in the
Snake, Boise, and Payette River basins. Before any new storage
could be built, a number of economic, engineering and
environmental studies are required to take place. As part of
this process, Reclamation is currently conducting a water
storage assessment in this area.
The water storage assessment will use the best available
information to examine and prioritize water storage options at
a reconnaissance level and will not require the collection of
new data. It will specify the volume of additional water
storage needed to meet future demand and create a general water
storage opportunities assessment to identify a wide range of
potential options for achieving this storage. This assessment
will then be used as the basis for more complex studies that
could determine the economic, engineering and environmental
feasibility of specific storage sites on the Upper Snake, Boise
and Payette River systems. This legislation authorizes
Reclamation to conduct these feasibility studies.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 2563 was introduced on May 24, 2005, by Congressman
C.L. ``Butch'' Otter (R-ID). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on Water and Power. On November 3, 2005, the
Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On March 29, 2006, the
Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The
Subcommittee on Water and Power was discharged from further
consideration of the bill by unanimous consent. Congressman
George Radanovich (R-CA) offered an amendment in the nature of
a substitute to clarify authorizing language and place a 10
year sunset on the bill's authorization. The amendment was
adopted by unanimous consent. The bill, as amended, was then
ordered favorably reported to the House of Representatives by
unanimous consent.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Authority to conduct feasibility studies
As amended, this section authorizes the Secretary of the
Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to conduct
feasibility studies on potential water storage within the
Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems. The feasibility
studies can only be initiated if they are deemed appropriate by
the 2006 Bureau of Reclamation Boise Payette water storage
assessment report. As amended, this section also authorizes $3
million to carry out the studies and limits the federal
authorization to 10 years.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations
are reflected in the body of this report.
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT
Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B)
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2)
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in
revenues or tax expenditures.
3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct feasibility studies to address certain
water shortages within the Snake, Boise, and Payette River
systems in Idaho, and for other purposes.
4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office:
H.R. 2563--A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct
feasibility studies to address water shortages within the
Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in Idaho
H.R. 2563 would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to
conduct feasibility studies to address water shortages within
the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in Idaho. H.R. 2563
would authorize the appropriation of $3 million for those
studies.
Assuming appropriation of the specified amount, CBO
estimates that implementing H.R. 2563 would cost $3 million
over the 2007-2011 period. Enacting H.R. 2563 would not affect
direct spending or revenues.
H.R. 2563 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
The bill would authorize funding for studies that would benefit
water agencies along river systems in the state of Idaho. Any
costs that they might incur to provide matching funds would
result from complying with conditions for receiving federal
assistance.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Julie Middleton.
This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104-4
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
This bill is not intended to preempt any state, local, or
tribal law.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing
law.