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. 00101'7 WEST STATES TIIE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER OF TIIE WESlERN STATES WATER COUNCIL Creekview Plaza, Suite A-201/942 East 7145 So. / Midvale, Utah 84047 / (801) 561-5300 / FAX (801) 255-%42 editor - Tony Willardson typist - carrie curvin WATER QUAUTY Clean Water Act-Hearings . On July 27, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's Subcommittee on Clean Water, Fisheries, and Wildlife, chaired by Bob Graham (D-FL), held a hearing on Tille III of S. 1114, dealing with comprehensive watershed planning and management in connection with reauthorization of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Lorna Stickel, Chief Planner for the Portland Water Bureau, the Oregon Water Resources Commission Chair, and Western States Water Council (WSWC) member, testITied for Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts, the Western Governors' Association (WGA) , and the WSWC. Also testifying on a panel addressing the watershed proVisions were: Steve Tedder, from North Carolina, representing the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators; Blake Anderson, representing the Association of Municipal Sewage Agencies; Charles Gauvin of Trout Unlimited; and Curt Spalding, Executive Director of 'Save the Bay,' located in Providence, Rhode Island. . Ms. Stickel testified that watershed management is complex with many interests and values to be considered. She noted that the WGA and WSWC had explored the issue and prepared position papers (enclosed with her testimony), which emphasize that a watershed approach offers a great opportunity to focus on critical problems. Further, watershed management can foster cooperative problemsolving and improve the environment cost-effectively. She referred to the WGA paper, stating that the CWA should not obstruct the ability of states to deal with other interests and values in a watershed beyond water quality, and ideally should facilitate a state's ability to deal with them holistically. chairman - Dave Kennedy executive director - Craig Bell She referred to the WSWC's position listing nine points that should govern any effort to encourage the use of a watershed approach to achieve water quality benefits under the CWA. The first point says that states should be encouraged, but not required, to utilize the watershed approach for water quality and resource management. She added that Title III, as proposed, addresses the principles enunciated in the WSWC position very well and therefore the Council supports the proposed amendment. In her written statement, and in response to questions, she expanded on Oregon's successful experience with watershed-based natural resource management (see related article below). She noted that the program in Oregon is evolving rapidly, and that passage of S, 1114 could give the state an additional boost. The hearing is one in a series to be held by the Subcommittee through Aug. 5th. The last hearing will address proposed changes to CWA Section 401 ryvSW #999), among other things. S. 1114 would explicitly clarify the meaning of Section 401 and insure that states would be able to base their decision -- to certify or deny certification for any proposed activity or project -- not only on compliance with water quality standards, but also on the 'protection, attainment, and maintenance of designated uses included in the standards.' The WSWC plans to present a statement at this hearing, WATER RESOURCES Oregon/Watershed Management Last year, a strategic water management policy workgroup composed of representatives from several state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and interest groups developed A Watershed Manaqement Strateqv for Oreqon. The proposal was submitted to