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<br />c,,) <br />'-11 <br />0), <br />i\J <br /> <br />The legislation instructed the Secretary of the <br />Interior to develop a comprehensive BLM salinity control <br />program and report back to the Con~ress by July 1, 1987. <br />The Secretary was also given authority to undertake advance <br />planning in the Sinbad Valley Unit of Colorado and to <br />undertake feasibility investi,ations with respect to the <br />use of saline waters for industrial purposes. <br />A major provision of the legislation was the enactment <br />of an on farm salinity control program. The Secretary of <br />Agriculture was instructed to establish a voluntary <br />salinity control pro~ram with land owners. Specifically, <br />the Secretary of Agriculture was instructed to identify <br />irrigation and watershed salt sources and to develop plans <br />for salinity control throu,h improved irrigation water <br />management. Further, the Secret~ry was directed to allow <br />for the voluntary replacement of fish and wildlife values <br />foregone as irrigation improvements are implemented. The <br />I , <br />Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to provide technical <br />and cost sharing assistance to individuals, groups, and <br />other local government and non-government agencies, such as <br />irrigation districts and canal companies. The legislation <br />provides that operation and maintenance must be paid by the <br />agricultural entities at no additional cost to the federal <br />government. <br />Cost sharing between the federal government and the <br />land owner will'be based upon the degree of on-site and <br />off-site benefits with a minimum ,of 30 percent provided by <br />the participating operators, unless it is determined <br />otherwise by the Secretary of Agriculture that a higher <br />level of federal cost sharing is necessary in order to <br />insure the implementation of the onfarm program. The <br />Secretary of Agriculture is to report back to the Congress <br />starting on January 1, 1988, and at intervals of every five <br />years thereafter on the progress achieved under this <br />program. <br />Water Quality Control Act of 1987 <br />(Clean Water Act Amendments) , <br />The Water Quality Control Act of 1987 (PL 100-4) may <br />offer additional opportunities to implement salinity <br />control measures. In particular, the Section 319 program, <br />which addresses nonpoint source pollution control, <br />authorizes funding for implementation of nonpoint source <br />pollution control measures. ,The states have the lead with <br />the Section 319 program, wherein ,salini ty control needs <br />must be identified in the State Assessment Report (Section <br />319 (a)) and also included in the State Management Program <br />(Section 319 (b)) before applying for funding. The states <br />are responsible for identifying their nOhpoint source <br />control priorities and submitting them to EPA for review <br />and funding decisions. <br /> <br />-4- <br />