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"j - ~ en ...:I TESTIMONY BEFORE THE WATER AND POWER SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SENATE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF ~0 July 28, 1999 ~~l~ 7P;-y--v~ ~~ V~S~~o/iJ A bill to amelld the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act The Colorado River Basin SalinilY Control Forum (Forum) supports the passage by the U.S. Senate of S. 1211. The $75 million authorized in 1995 has been lIsed 10 demonstrate the great efficiencies effectuated by the 1995 amendments to the Salinity Control Act, and now the $100 million to be authorized by this bill is needed for the program to move ahead into the ne,xt century. The Forum is required by the Clean Waler Ac,tlo prepare a report every three years analyzing lhe salt reduction needed to meet water quality standards and, more specifically, to keep salinity levels below the numeric criteria that has been established for the Colorado River. Recently, the seven Colorado River Basin states (Basin states), in consultation with all involved federal agencies, determined the necessary Plan of Implementation and, at a Forum meeting, formally adopted the required triennial review report. A copy of that report has been provided to the Subcommittee. In the triennial review, it was determined that by the year 2015, more than 750,000 tons of salt must be conirolled annually from entering the Colorado River system to meet the numeric criteria. To accomplish this, very active programs to control poilu source discharges and reduce nonpoint source salt contributions must be undertaken by the Basin states and by federal agencies. A coordinated federal program identified in the Plan of Implementation involves the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Department of Agricul1ure, and the Bureau of Land Management. In 1995, Congress amended Ihe Colorado River Basin Salinity Control ACl and gave to Reclamation new authorities. The new authorization was an experiment, so to speak, to see if a streamlined approach could be mOSl cost effective. The amended law gave Reclamation the authority to seek proposals for salinity control projects from non-federal entities. In the past, Reclamation had, with authorization from Congress, constructed salinity control measures in specially authorized salinity control areas. This recent experiment has been moSl successful. Cost effectiveness is measured in dollars per ton of salt controlled. Prior to the new authorily, Reclamation's efforts were costing belween $70 to more than $100 for each ton of salt that was controlled. Under the new authority, costs are around $30 per ton.