[env-trinity] Trinity-Friant Connection?

[Tom Stokely]

See paragraph below which mentions the Trinity River

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Senator Dianne Feinstein

Statement on Introduction of

San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act

December 5, 2006

 

 

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce -- with my cosponsor Senator Boxer -- an historic bill that will end 18 years of litigation between the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Friant Water Authority, and the U.S. Department of the Interior.  The legislation will enact a settlement that accomplishes the restoration of California’s second longest river, the San Joaquin, while maintaining a stable water supply for the farmers who have made the Valley bloom and have supplied low-cost agricultural products to Americans from coast to coast.   

 

The alternative to a consensus resolution to this long- running western water battle basis is to continue the fight.  To my knowledge, every farmer and every environmentalist who has considered the possibility of continued litigation believes that an outcome imposed by a judge is likely to be worse for everyone on all counts: more costly, riskier for the farmers, and less beneficial for the environment.  

 

Because the Settlement provides a framework that all interests can accept, this legislation has the strong support of the Bush Administration, the Schwarzenegger Administration, the environmental and fishing communities and numerous California farmers and water districts, including all 22 Friant water districts that have been part of the litigation. 

 

In announcing the signing of this San Joaquin River settlement in September, the Assistant Secretary of the Interior praised it as a “monumental agreement.”  And when the Federal Court then approved the Settlement in late October, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne further praised Settlement for launching “one of the largest environmental restoration projects in California’s history.” The Secretary further observed that “This Settlement closes a long chapter of conflict and uncertainty in California’s San Joaquin Valley….and open[s] a new chapter of environmental restoration and water supply certainty for the farmers and their communities.” 

 

I share the Secretary’s strong support for this balanced and historic agreement, and it is my honor to join with Senator Boxer and a bipartisan group of California House Members in introducing legislation to approve and authorize this Settlement before we end the 109th Congress.

 

The legislation indicates how the settlement agreement forged by the parties is going to be implemented.  It involves the Departments of the Interior and Commerce, and essentially gives the Secretary of the Interior the additional authority to:

 

o     Take the actions to restore the San Joaquin River;

o     Reintroduce the California Central Valley Spring Run Chinook Salmon;

o     Minimize water supply impacts on Friant water districts; and

o     Avoid reductions in water supply for third-party water contractors.

 

One of the major benefits of this settlement is the restoration of a long-lost salmon fishery.  The return of one of California’s most important salmon runs will create significant benefits for local communities in the San Joaquin Valley, helping to restore a beleaguered fishing industry while improving recreation and quality of life.  

 

The legislation provides for improvements to the San Joaquin river channel to allow salmon restoration to begin in 2014.  Beginning in that year, the river would see an annual flow regime mandated by the Settlement, with pulses of additional water in the spring and greater flows available in wetter years.  There is flexibility to add or subtract up to 10% from the annual flows, as the best science dictates.
       

A visitor to the revitalized river channel in a decade will find an entirely different place providing recreation and relaxation for residents of small towns like Mendota, and a refuge for residents of larger cities like Fresno.    

 

The legislation I am introducing today includes provisions to benefit the farmers of the San Joaquin Valley as well as the salmon:  



·       In wet years, Friant contractors can purchase surplus flows at $10 per acre-foot for use in dry years, far less than the approximately $35 per acre-foot that they would otherwise pay for this water.



·       The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to recirculate new restoration flows from the Delta via the California aqueduct and the Cross-Valley Canal to provide additional supply for Friant. 

 

   Today’s legislation also includes substantial protections for other water districts in California who were not party to the original settlement negotiations.  These other water contractors will be able to avoid all but the smallest water impacts as a result of the settlement, except on a voluntary basis. 

            

In addition, the restoration of flows for over 150 miles below Friant Dam, and reconnecting the upper River to the critical San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, will be a welcome change for the more than 22 million Californians who rely on that crucial source for their drinking water.

 

Finally, restoring the San Joaquin as a living salmon river may ultimately help struggling fishing communities on California’s North Coast – and even into Southern Oregon.  The restoration of the San Joaquin and the government’s commitment to reintroduce and rebuild historic salmon populations provide a rare bright spot for these communities.  

 

In addition to congratulating the parties for making a settlement that will enable the long-sought restoration of the San Joaquin River, I am mindful of and remain committed to progress in implementing and funding the December 19, 2000, Trinity River restoration record of decision and the Hoopa Valley Tribe's co-management of the decision's important goal of restoring the fishery resources that the United States holds in trust for the Tribe.

 

Support of this agreement is almost as far reaching as its benefits. This historic agreement would not have been possible without the participation of a remarkably broad group of agencies, stakeholders and legislators, reaching far beyond the settling parties.  The Department of the Interior, the State of California, the Friant Water Users Authority, the Natural Resources Defense Council on behalf of 13 other environmental organizations and countless other stakeholders came together and spent countless hours with legislators in Washington to ensure that we found a solution that the large majority of those affected could support. 

 

Last month, California voters showed their support by approving Propositions 84 and 1E that will help pay for the Settlement by committing at least $100 million and likely $200 million or more toward the restoration costs.  Indeed, this Legislation includes a diverse mix of approximately $200 million in direct Water User payments, new State payments, $240 million in dedicated Friant Central Valley Project capital repayments, and future federal appropriations limited to $250 million.   This mix of funding sources is intended to ensure that the river restoration program will be sustainable over time and truly a joint effort of federal, state and local agencies. 

 

I would like to emphasize that the federal funding in the bill is for implementation of both the Restoration Goal to reestablish a salmon fishery in the river, and the Water Management Goal to avoid or minimize water supply losses supplied by Friant Water Districts.   It is important to recognize that these efforts are of equal importance.

 

At the end of the day, I believe that this agreement is something that we can all feel very proud of, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to move quickly to approve this legislation and provide the Administration the authorization it needs to fully carry out its legal obligations and the extensive restoration opportunities under the settlement.

 

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD immediately following the appearance of this statement and Senator Boxer’s statement.
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