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<br />~ j)~~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />. McCain is told <br />Canyon bill <br />"Will be passed <br /> <br />PHOENIX (AP) - Sen. JOhn, <br />McCain said yesterday that he has <br />assurances from Senale leaden !bat <br />legislation to protect !be Grand Can- <br />yon from widely t1uctuating Colo- <br />rado River flows will pass by !be end <br />of the current session. <br />The AriZona Republican com. <br />mented from Washington shortly <br />;: after he failed to earn support to add <br />..the . measure, dubbed the Grand <br />.Canyon Protection Act. to a $12.7 <br />;;:bUlion appropriations bill for the In. <br />: ,,terior Pepanrnent In 1992. The <br />. ~ McCain legislation was excluded by <br />'.865-34 vote. <br />... ~ <br />~':~l.ast year !be Senate passed a slm- <br />. . lIar bill, alsO sponsored by McCain. <br />"but It died in the House. <br />. ~1;: ~We regret that thJs important <br />.,bill, critical to stop current degrada- <br />i tlon of the Canyon. was defeated by <br />. tbe Senate on a procedural vote." <br />. McCain said. "I am pleased. how. . <br />ever, that we received commitments <br />from leaders on both sides of the <br />aisle to pass the bill before the ses- <br />sion ends:' <br />Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va.. <br />..cI1alrman of !be Senate Appropria. <br />.:lionS Committee; argued the Mc€ain <br />. measure would violate 1990's budget <br />:;agreement by decreasing federal <br />;:~enues $30 million through sales <br />:ot electricity. <br />.':~McCain said the violalion was <br />only technical and !bat reducing <br />.nows through the dam on the Ari- <br />.zona.Utah border "won't cost the <br />(iixpayers a penny:' <br />:R 'PIe bill would require Glen Can- <br />-yon Dam to be managed in a manner <br />which protects the Canyon. A 1988 <br />study by the Interior DepatllDent <br />found that excessive water nuctua. <br />tlons from the dam, locat~ 16 mJles <br />upstream. have been destroying the <br />Canyon's resources.. <br /> <br />1. Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan <br />. is scheduled to make a decision on <br />lntertm measures regarding the <br />dam by Nov. I, but McCaIn and sev- <br />,era! environmental groups wanl to <br />pass leglslation and impose dfrec- <br />tlon over the Weslern Area Power <br />Administration. <br /> <br />,.i,. McCaln rejected a plan by Sens. J. <br />Bennett Johnston, D-La., and Bill <br />Bradley, D.-NJ., WhO said they <br />would support the bill It It is part of <br />. their plan 10 overhaul the govern- <br />menrs entire waler policy In the <br />We&.. <br /> <br />. McCaIn said such a bill would be <br />vehemently opposed by Western <br />lawmakers and chlded Bradley: "To <br />me thars unconsclonable . . . to hold <br />the greatest natural resource of the <br />globe,. certaInly of !his nation, h09- <br />tage.ln order .that other agendas <br />may be pursued." <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />! <br /> <br />I~ /99/ <br />/ <br /> <br />i <br />l <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />! <br />I <br />I <br />i <br />I <br />