|
<br />Wellstone (MN), together with the ranking minority
<br />member Malcolm Wallop (WY), and Republicans Mark
<br />Hatfield (OR), Pete Domenici (NM), Frank Mirkowski
<br />(AK), Don Nickels (OK), Larry Craig (ID), Arlen Specter
<br />(PA), Trent Lott (MS), and newcomer Bob Bennett
<br />(UT). Senator Bill Bradley will continue to chair the
<br />Water and Power Subcommittee. Other subcommittee
<br />members are Senators Ford, Campbell, Bennett, and
<br />Hatfield. Subcommittee membership has changed
<br />substantially due to the elections (see WSW #964),
<br />and the moves of former vice-chair Kent Conrad (D-
<br />ND) to the Finance Committee and Conrad Burns (R-
<br />MT) to the Appropriations Committee. The
<br />Appropriations Committee, chaired by Senator Robert
<br />Byrd (D-WV), also added to its membership among
<br />others newcomers Patty Murray (D-WA), and Diane
<br />Feinstein (D-CA).
<br />
<br />ENVIRONMENT
<br />
<br />Wetlands
<br />
<br />EPA issued notice of a Change in wetlands policy
<br />effective the day before President Bush left office that
<br />will establish the 1987 federal wetlands manual as the
<br />tool the agency will use to delineate wetlands (58 FR
<br />4995). The action culminates two years of internal
<br />Bush Administration discussion. The 1987 manual will
<br />be used at least until a current National Academy of
<br />Sciences wetlands study is complete. It will lay to rest
<br />use of a 1991 wetlands manual and a 1989 wetlands
<br />agreement among federal agencies which were,
<br />respectively, perceived by some observers as overly
<br />lax and unnecessarily strict in their scope of coverage.
<br />The Corps of Engineers also supports use of the 1987
<br />manual to delineate wetlands.
<br />
<br />WATER aUAUTY/WATER RESOURCES
<br />
<br />Califomia/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
<br />
<br />EPA Region IX has responded to the California
<br />State Water Resources Control Board's Sacramento-
<br />San Joaquin Delta interim rules and standards (y'oISW
<br />#970) by asserting that the standards are insufficient
<br />to protect the delta's ecology. The board's action
<br />would reduce overall water exports from the delta by
<br />an average of 800,000 acre-feet annually for five years.
<br />Some have viewed the standards as drastic and
<br />unworkable, while others have seen them as bold and
<br />innovative. EPA said that while the board's proposal
<br />
<br />would mitigate the decline of the delta, it would not
<br />provide the enhancement needed to recover .
<br />populations of endangered species. EPA noted
<br />specifically that the Board failed to establish a
<br />standard for saltwater intrusion In Suisun Bay, a
<br />nursery for Delta smelt, striped bass, and other fish
<br />and wildlife. If such standards were set, they could be
<br />met by further reducing exports from watercourses
<br />that feed the delta. This would enlarge the delta's
<br />outflow, and thus slow saltwater intrusion. However,
<br />it would also make less water available for other uses,
<br />especially in dry years. EPA requested the board to
<br />refine its plan to ameliorate EPA's concerns, or the
<br />agency will consider issuing regulations to mandate
<br />stronger protection for the delta.
<br />
<br />Water Supply Outlook
<br />
<br />While January storms have brought much needed
<br />moisture to the West, water managers are only
<br />cautiously optimistic. Well above average precipitation
<br />must continue to restore water supplies depleted by
<br />six years of drought. Reservoir storage in most
<br />western states is below average and soil moisture
<br />content is low. Snowpack conditions are above to
<br />much above average west of the Rockies, but near to
<br />below average conditions prevail to the east. Most .
<br />western streamflows projections are near to below
<br />average. Only continuing above average precipitation
<br />will ease the drought situation.
<br />
<br />WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL
<br />
<br />State Water Right Pennitting Report
<br />
<br />The Western States Water Council has recently
<br />published a report entitled Western State Water Riaht
<br />Permittina Procedures. It describes the mechanics of
<br />state water right permitting schemes. While such
<br />schemes follow a similar pattern, there are many
<br />differences. The report was compiled 'with the hope
<br />that a better understanding of permitting procedures
<br />in the West will lead to better compliance with state
<br />water law, particularly in the context of federal
<br />programs..... The concise state-by-state permitting
<br />summaries are based on input from state officials.
<br />Copies of the report may be purchased for $15.00,
<br />including postage and handling, by mailing a check
<br />to: Western States Water Council, Creekview Plaza,
<br />Suite A.201, 942 East 7145 South, Midvale, Utah,
<br />84047.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />The WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL is an organization of representatives appointed by the Governors of
<br />member states - Alaska, Arizona, Califomia, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota,
<br />Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and associate member state Oklahoma
<br />
|