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l:l' (') , IS) (') III l.:I C[ a. ('/ IS) 0) ()) LIl l:l' 0) IS) r- 0) Q ... u a. Z III III lI' l.:I ~ lQ :IS: o U tol C[ lQ .. :IS: o lI' P- O) IS) !D ... (') IS) f i1 I (') IS) I tol, , :J ":l lmperial Fanners Urge Panel to Block U.S. Water Ruling Mail Subscriptions Additional SuhS(:nptioo InfO/n1:ttion & FAQs '~fl,"l:~;;~]ru\(t' : ~ cr.(~',lt"lIHh; <lIlt! nl0r,,! . Cc1reers -Cars . Homes . Renlals . Newspaper Ads . Personals . Times Guides . Recycler.com LA Times InitIatIves TImes in Education Reading by 9 LA Times [looks LA Times Family Fund Tlmes.Mlrror Foundation Community Events Inside the Times Partners 'Page 3 of 4 But if the U.S. Buteau of Reclamation attempts to take water from the district withou l compensation, farmers are prepared to fight to the Supreme Court, said Allen, whose homespun demeanor and white cowboy hat belie his reputation among water officials as a tough negotiator and a Western water law expert. An official with the bureau testified that his agency) which controls the Colorado River and divvi~s up its supplies among seven Western states, has no choice but to complete the "beneficial use" study requested by a federal Judge. The bureau decision) considered a foregone conclu'sion by most water officials, is expected this week. Allen noted that the Imperial agency has already beaten the federal government once in court this year. After Interior Secretary Gale Norton reduced the districe~ allocation by 10%, Imperial successfully sued to overturn that order - although the San Diego judge who ordered the cut restored also ordered the beneficial-use study before making a final decision. La O~~~~~ . "I didn't know ifI was going to grow any wheat when I got that .first order" reducing th~ allocation) Allen said; "But 1 did" after the cut was "r~stOi'ed, "and it was a fine crop) I'll tell you. II The order by U:S. District Judge Thomas Whelan that restored the allocation to Imperial also led to reduced allocations for the MWD and Coachella. . Those agencies have now accused Imperial of wasteful inigatiOll practices, Under a grilling by Hunter, the MWDts Ortega said the agency is concerned about a proposal to spend $200 million of state bond funds on environmental issues linked to the San Diego- Imperial plan. Oltega said the water sale was not mentioned. on the list of projects submitted to voters during' the election leading to passage of the bond issue. He added that using public funds to grease the wheels of the sale could set a precedent encouraging subsidies for other water deals. Hunter was unmoved, He revived a threat that other legislative critics of the MWD have made in recent years: that the Legislature could disband Metropolitan. .