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<br />defeated by Sam Coppersmith (D). In California. Dan
<br />Hamberg (D) defeated freshman Rep, Frank Riggs
<br />(R), a member of the House Public Works, Water
<br />Resources Subcommittee. in Montana, Rep, Ron
<br />Marlenee (R) lost to Rep, Pat Williams (D). as both
<br />were forced to run for Montana's only at large seat.
<br />Lastly, Texas Republican Henry Bonilia easily
<br />unseated 4-lerm Rep. Albert Bustmante (D), Overall,
<br />Republicans gained nine Democrat's seats.
<br />
<br />House Committee Chairs won easily with 60-70%
<br />of the vote: Agriculture-Kiki de ia Garza (D-TX);
<br />Appropriations-Jamie Whitten (D-MS); Energy and
<br />Commerce-John Dingell (D-MI), and its Health and
<br />Environment Subcommittee-Henry Waxman (D-CA);
<br />Interior-George Miller (D-CA); and Merchant Marine
<br />and Fisheries-Jerry Studds (D-MA), Public Works and
<br />Transportation Chair, Robert Roe (D.NJ), is retiring
<br />after 20 years, Water Resources Subcommittee Chair
<br />Henry Nowak (D-NY) is also retiring, as is Rep, Glenn
<br />Anderson (D-CA), Rep. Norm Mineta (D-CA) is the
<br />next most senior member,
<br />
<br />WATER QUALI1Y
<br />
<br />Clean Water Act-Section 518/Water Quality Standards
<br />
<br />EPA has granted the Pueblo of Isleta's request for
<br />recognition as a state for the purpose of estabiishing
<br />water quality standards under the Clean Water Act.
<br />Officials from Albuquerque, located upstream on the
<br />Rio Grande from Isleta, have estimated that the cost
<br />to treat the city's effluent to meet the Indians'
<br />proposed standards will be over $150M (WSW #956),
<br />The recent EPA action did not approve the standards,
<br />but rather the Pueblo's authority to establish them,
<br />The standards, still in the proposal stage. are under
<br />review by EPA Region VI, in Dallas.
<br />
<br />WATER RESOURCES
<br />
<br />Omnibus Reclamation Bill/Bureau of Reclamation
<br />
<br />On October 30, President George Bush signed
<br />H, R. 429, the Reclamation Projects Authorization and
<br />Adjustment Act of 1992, authorizing projects, making
<br />important policy changes, and establishing landmark
<br />environmental protections. There are 40 titles: Title 1-
<br />Buffalo Bill Dam 0NY); II-VI Central Utah Project; VII-
<br />Leadville mine drainage (CO); VIII-Lake Meredith (TX
<br />and NM); IX-Cedar Bluff (KS); X-South Dakota Water
<br />
<br />Planning; XI-Salton Sea Research (CA); XII-Sabine
<br />River Compact (TX and LA); XIII-Salt/Gila Aqueduct .
<br />(AZ); XIV-Vermejo Project (NM); XV-San Luis Valley
<br />Protection (CO); XVI-Reclamation Wastewater and
<br />Ground Water Studies (AZ and CA); XVII-Standing
<br />Rock Indian Irrigation (ND); XVIII-Grand Canyon
<br />Protection; XIX-Mid-Dakota Rural Water System (SD);
<br />XX-Lake Andes-Wagner/Marty II (SD); XXI-Rio Grande
<br />Floodway (NM); XXII-Sunnyside Valley Irrigation
<br />District (yVA); XXIII-Platoro Reservoir (CO); XXIV-
<br />Redwood County Water District (CA); XXV-United
<br />Water Conservation District (CA); XXVI-High Piains
<br />Ground Water Recharge Demonstration Program;
<br />XXVII-Montana Irrigation Projects; XXVIII-Reclamation
<br />Recreation Management Act; XXIX-San Juan
<br />Suburban Water District (CA); XXX-Western Water
<br />Policy Review Act; XXXI-Mountain Park Master
<br />Conservancy District (OK); XXXII-South Dakota
<br />Biological Diversity Trust; XXXIII-Elephant Butte
<br />Irrigation District (NM); XXXIV-CVP Improvement Act;
<br />XXXV-North Dakota Tribes Compensation Program;
<br />XXXVI-Sonoma Baylands/Wetlands Demonstration
<br />Project (CA); XXXVII-San Carlos Apache Tribe Water
<br />Rights Settlement (AZ); XXXVIII-San Francisco Water
<br />Reclamation and Reuse Demonstration; XXXIX-CAP
<br />Siphon Repair and Replacement; and XL-National
<br />Historic Preservation Act Amendments.
<br />
<br />While California Governor Pete Wilson urged the .
<br />President to veto the bill (WSW #961), support from
<br />many other states prevailed. The Western States
<br />Water Council did not take a position on individual
<br />projects, but did address certain issues. The Council
<br />opposed a new federal public interest review imposed
<br />on private water development in the San Luis Valley
<br />in Colorado under Title XV (WSW #921). Regarding
<br />Title XXX, WSWC/Western Governors' Association
<br />testimony led to changes giving western states a
<br />greater voice in the proposed water policy review.
<br />The Council supports the Bureau of Reclamation's
<br />Ground Water Recharge Demonstration Program,
<br />extended under Title XXVI. Lastly, the Council
<br />carefully followed other projects and programs with a
<br />potential impact on westwide water management.
<br />
<br />In signing H,R. 429, President Bush moved
<br />western water development and management forward,
<br />sometimes in new directions, but it only authorizes
<br />and does not appropriate construction and program
<br />funding. Whether or not the Clinton Administration
<br />will approve spending remains to be seen,
<br />
<br />The WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL is an organization of representatives appointed by the Governors .
<br />of member states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North
<br />Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and associate member state Oklahoma
<br />
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