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<br />~#~c~o <br />UL~l~O <br /> <br />USDA LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITIES <br /> <br />Public Law 98-569, enacted October 30, 1984, amended the original Colorado <br />River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-320). The amended Act <br />provides for a voluntary USDA onfarm salinity control program which authorizes <br />the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) identify salt source areas and prepare <br />salinity control reports; (2) provide technical and financial assistance to <br />implement salinity reduction practices consistent with published USDA salinity <br />control reports; (3) provide information and education support, including <br />research and demonstratiolls, and (4) perform monitoring and evaluation <br />functions. <br /> <br />Several new features to the Act beyond those of traditional conservation <br />programs include the authority to: (1) cost-share with irrigation districts <br />and canal companies; (2) broaden the annual cost-share payment limitation; and <br />(3) provide for voluntary replacement of fish and wildlife values foregone <br />because of program activities. <br /> <br />Under the new program, sufficient flexibility has been provided in USDA <br />regulations and agency operating procedures to allow for separate contracts <br />and financial assistance to landowners and producers for voluntary replacement <br />of fish and wildlife values foregone. The contracts may include measures for <br />the voluntary replacement of wildlife habitat values foregone either <br />separately or with other salinity reduction practices. <br /> <br />Section 205 of the Act provides specific authority for 30 percent repayment or <br />reimbursement of USDA cost-share expenditures for the installation of salinity <br />reduction and voluntary wildlife habitat replacement practices. <br />Reimbursements are made to the U.S. Treasury from hydro-electric power <br />revenues collected for salinity control in the Upper and Lower Colorado River <br />Basins. With a maximum USDA federal cost-share of 70%, 30% of the 70% (or <br />21%) of salinity control practice costs are borne by the Basin States from <br />power revenues, and 30% of the practice costs are borne by the participant. <br />Therefore, non-Federal sources are paying 51% and the Federal Government 49% <br />of the costs for installing salinity control practices. <br /> <br />5 <br />