Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment
April 20, 2007
1. Top Items
House approves massive water projects bill - Associated Press
$500 million price put on river repair bill; The estimate delays action by Congress on plan to restore the San Joaquin and reintroduce salmon - Sacramento
House OKs water bill - Marysville Appeal Democrat
House approves massive water projects bill
Associated Press – 4/20/07
By Sam Hananel, staff writer
The overall cost of the bill is at least $15 billion. Supporters of the bipartisan measure, passed by a 394-25 vote, say it's needed to fund hundreds of projects in nearly every state to improve flood protection, modernize the nation's waterways and restore the environment.
According to Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, who voted in favor of the bill, it authorizes $20 million for the cities of Sierra Madre and
The bill also contains a $5 million authorization for the Raymond Basin Management Board's Southern California Foothill Communities Water Supply Reliability Program. That would help facilitate the planning and construction of groundwater quality and supply projects throughout the Foothills region.
"Environmental protection and restoration go hand in hand with a quality water supply," Dreier said. "We're always looking for ways to improve the management of groundwater, especially in
The Water Resources Development Act includes $1.8 billion for construction of seven new locks on the upper
Billions more are targeted for restoration of the Florida Everglades and for hurricane and flood protection in
Similar measures passed in both the Senate and the House last year, but they never made it out of conference committee before the end of the session. Senate consideration of nearly identical legislation is expected later this year.
The White House opposes the bill, arguing that it's even more expensive than the $10 billion version considered last year. The Bush administration wants states to share more of the cost for certain projects and ensure that they are economically and environmentally feasible.
"I do realize the constraints the administration is working on with a tight budget situation," said Rep.
No water construction legislation has passed Congress since 2000, when a government auditor discovered that Army Corps of Engineers officials doctored a report to justify new locks on the
"This bill has a peer review section, but it's wholly inadequate," said Steve Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense.
"Something that came out of Hurricane Katrina was the idea of having truly independent peer review for costly, controversial or critical projects." #
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_5710105
$500 million price put on river repair bill; The estimate delays action by Congress on plan to restore the San Joaquin and reintroduce salmon
Sacramento
By Michael Doyle, staff writer
The newly estimated river restoration cost exceeds earlier predictions. It could force antsy lawmakers to raise taxes or cut other projects. Already, it is delaying congressional plans for fixing the
In other words, the new price tag poses a big headache for
For farmers, it's a reminder that if political compromise fails, a federal judge still could take charge of the river's future.
"I think the costs are a lot higher than have been advertised, and that's a considerable problem for the bill," Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, said Thursday.
Alone among
Introduced by Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, the
Congress requires budget office estimates for all bills. The long-awaited study predicts the
"I don't think the CBO score will prevent this bill from being passed," Radanovich's press secretary, Spencer Pederson, said Thursday. "It's something they're going to have to work through."
Still, the estimates do clarify the hurdles still remaining.
In particular, House Democrats now require that new spending be balanced by additional revenues or new savings. The
"Good luck," Nunes said. "Who are they going to cut?"
The legislation would help settle a lawsuit filed in 1988.
Environmentalists charged in the suit that Friant Dam's construction and operation had dried up the once-thriving
Currently, Friant Dam releases an average of 117,000 acre-feet of water annually, with farmers getting most of it. The river restoration plan calls for between 247,000 and 555,000 acre-feet of water to be released annually, depending on how much water is available.
"(It) strives to bring life to a dormant river, while securing reliable water for fertile Valley farmlands which depend on the river," Radanovich said at a hearing last month.
Nunes fears the settlement will drive farmers out of business.
Originally, Friant-area water districts and environmentalists had hoped to get the legislation passed by last Dec. 31. They made little progress. Theoretically, either party can now back out of the settlement -- and throw future river decisions to the federal judge.
Radanovich and his
But the new budget questions thwarted those plans, forcing last-minute cancellation of the scheduled mark-up. Instead, Dooley and his allies spent part of this week trying to adapt new tactics.
The cost estimate includes $215 million construction projects authorized in the bill over the next 10 years; for instance, levees needed to stop flooding. This was essentially expected based on the bill's explicit language.
The cost estimate also includes upward of $217 million, covering additional spending that will be funded by fees paid by Friant farmers. Some bill proponents don't think this should be counted as a cost, since the money is already being provided.
The budget office also notes the
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/158267.html
House OKs water bill
Marysville Appeal Democrat – 4/19/07
The Water Resources Development Act has languished for years over its price tag and how the Army Corps of Engineers does business.
The overall cost of the bill is at least $15 billion. Supporters of the bipartisan measure, passed by a 394-25 vote, say it’s needed to fund hundreds of projects in nearly every state to improve flood protection, modernize the nation’s waterways and restore the environment.
“The passage of WRDA is a key milestone in our effort to rehabilitate the levee system in
The
“As a Yuba-Sutter native, I know how critical it is that we do everything possible to protect at-risk communities from flooding,” Herger said.
Curt Aikens, general manager of the Yuba County Water Agency, said the Yuba River Basin Project is aimed at improving levees in Reclamation District 784 and Marysville to a 200-plus-year level of protection.
“There are a lot of steps before work moves forward. WRDA simply authorizes the project,” Aikens said.
He said those steps include completion of the general re-evaluation report in 2008/09, federal appropriation for preliminary engineering and design, and then appropriation for construction.
“WRDA is one step in a process that will take years to complete for a federal project to move forward,” Aikens said. “Also, there are the state bond funds that can be used for a local/state project.”
Studies for the Yuba River Basin Project began soon after the 1986 flood.
Recent flood control improvements in
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/onset?id=47305&template=article.html
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