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Western States Water Council Full Council Minutes Seattle, Washington July 15, 2005 . partners. Historically, dams have been federal or state projects or built by local utilities. Commissioner Keys added that BOR works within state water rights. He addressed BOR business and appropriations. The President approved a $940 million budget request for the Bureau. It includes the first funding directly for CALFED. There is money for four storage project studies, and money for an environmental water account. Questions & Answers John addressed fears that Interior's Water 2025 Initiative would take money away from BOR's Field Services Program. The FY 2006 budget includes $15 million for Water Conservation and Field Services work in irrigation districts by irrigation districts. The Water 2025 Initiative is an effort to get other partners, and allow work on facilities that are not BOR projects. The current budget request is $30 million. The House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee zeroed out 2025, but reduced underfinancing to cover it. The Senate bill has $20 million and extends language providing for spending beyond one year. The House has asked for a more specific authorization (than what was used for last the 2 years). There was a brief discussion with John about the Council's support for a national drought I policy bill, and its efforts to draft an Endangered Species Act (ESA) protocol outlining ways to acquire . water under state law. Again, a copy of John's prepared remarks are attached. U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ACTIVITIES Brigadier General Joseph Schroedel, Commander of the South Pacific Division of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers next addressed the Council. The General said that he was sitting in the Pentagon on 9/11, and his daughter was in New York on vacation. She got up late to go to the World Trade Center. He added that there are now some 3,000 Corps civilians serving in Iraq and the Gulf. How do we deal with homeland defense? We have created a $38 billion bureaucracy. I fought that. Local entities are the appropriate first responders. After 9/11, the Air Force sent a fighter squadron to New York. The Governor said, "We don't need you. We'll call when we do." Then the Air Force tried to bill the State of the expense. Remember we are at a Nation at war. "I've been there [Iraq]. My son is going, his wife is going, and a niece is going. All on my wife's birthday." The General provided handouts in the form of three fact sheets. One describing the value of the Corps of Engineers to the Army and the Nation, one about the South Pacific Division which he commands, and one on special authorities and programs to provide environmental assistance to non- federal interests, as well as for carrying out water-related environmental infrastructure and resource protection and development projects. These are know as Sec. 595, Sec. 593 and Sec. 219 authorities. He also handed out a pamphlet on the Corps' Strategic Directions. . 6