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<br />JU~-03-~3 16,06 FROM,BALCOMB & GREEN PC <br /> <br />1D,8708458802 <br /> <br />'" <br /> <br />lIoyd'Allen <br />President. Board of Directors <br />Imperial Irrigation District <br /> <br />Testimony <br />Before the Committee on Resources <br />United States House of Representatives <br /> <br />Hearing on California Water Policy <br />July 1,2003 <br /> <br />Chairman Calvert. Congressman Hunter, and members of the Subcommittee. my <br />name is Lloyd Allen and J am President of the Imperial Irrigation District (110) Board of <br />Directors. I appreciate th~ opportunity to speak to you today about the status of the <br />Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA). As you know. this is a matter of critical <br />importance to the people of the Impenal Valley, and therefore we greatly appreciate <br />your efforts to focus attention on the QSA Let me also take this opportunity'to thank <br />Chairman Calvert, Congressman Hunter, and others who have worked tirelessly in <br />their efforts to bring peace to the river through the implementation of the QSA. <br />. , <br /> <br />To appropriately outline the' history of the development of the QSA, and to follow <br />the often tim~s tortuous route that has brought us to where we are today. would take <br />many pages of testimony. In the interest of time and brevity, I will not take that <br />approach but will instead attempt to focus on a few central points that I think are <br />critical to understanding the present circumstances. I will also provide several <br />recommendations that I believe will ensure success. <br /> <br />Although we have been at what seems to be the "eleventh hour" for the QSA <br />several times in the past. I truly believe that we are now facing the criticai point where <br />the QSA must be implemented, with broad-based support, or the protracted and far- <br />reaching litigation that has commenced will pass the point of no return. While liD is . <br />fully prepared to protect its senior water rights in the courts, the halls of Congress, and <br />elsewhere, we believe that the wiser course is settlement through implementation of <br />the QSA. This is a time for leadership, diplomacy, dedication to the public interest, and <br />good old common sense. <br /> <br />This is also a, time of general confusion and misinformation because the QSA is <br />so complicated and several interested parties are pursuing courses of action that are <br />difficult to understand_ With that background in mind. I would like to briefly outline <br />several points that I believe are important to understanding the present circumstances. <br /> <br />PAGE 21/34 <br />