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Volume 8, No. 16
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NATIONAL WATER LINED
National Water Resources Association 955 L'Enfant Plaza, North Bldg., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20024 (202)488-0610
***The last issue of NWL carried a report on a number of pending bills .
Since then many things have happened . One major bill--S 268 to uprate the
power capacity at Hoover Dam and extend the power contracts for that
facility--passed the Senate by a vote of 64 to 34 . The Senate had voted
earlier to choke off a filibuster by Sen Metzenbaum (OH) . The cloture vote
was 60 to 28 .
Another significant development came out of the Democratic National
Convention in San Francisco, where Democrats Metzenbaum (OH) , Udall and
DeConcini and Governor Babbitt, all of Arizona , struck a deal on a cost-
sharing amendment to safety of dams legislation (HR 1652 and S 672 ) . (Governor
Babbitt is chairman of the Water Committee of the recently formed Western
Governors Association . ) As might be assumed, Arizona has a big stake in the
safety of dams legislation.
The House Rules Comm cleared HR 4444, the Small Reclamation Projects Act
authorization bill, thus preparing the way for floor action. Efforts were
being made to persuade Sen Don Nickles (OK) to hold a hearing on a companion
bill , S 1981 . WE NEED HELP BADLY ON THIS ONE ! If you have any means of
nudging Sen Nickles,please do so. And it might not hurt to nudge Sen McClure
to also give Sen Nickles a nudge . Oklahoma, after all, was treated very
kindly in the recently passed water and energy appropriation bill.
The Energy Conservation and Power Subcomm of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee approved S 1132 for full committee. This is the so-called
" falling water " bill which would fix the amount developers would pay to use
"falling water" to generate hydroelectric energy at federally built dams .
The Colorado Salinity Control Bill (HR 2790 ) was cleared for the full
Interior Committee by the Water and Power Resources Subcommittee.
***The $53 . 5M 1985 appropriation for the Garrison Diversion Project
cannot be spent until a twelve man commission appointed by Secretary Clark
completes a review of the project and submits a report to the Congress by
December 31 . Secretary Clark will announce the members of the Commission in
Bismarck, North Dakota on Saturday, August 11 .
***NWRA workshop on regulations to implement the Reclamation Reform Act
-- The Farm/Water Alliance is a thing of the past, but NWRA is picking up
where the Alliance left off. A number of problems have surfaced relating to
the rules and regulations to implement the RRA. Assistant Secretary Robert
Broadbent told the Western States Water Council in Idaho Falls that he had a
staff group taking a second look at some of the interpretations of the RRA and
the final rules . In some cases , he acknowledged, the Bureau had made
mistakes ; in others , he contended the critics were wrong . In any event,
Acting Commissioner Robert Olson told the NWRA seminar in Jackson Hole that
the Bureau will grant extensions in worthy cases where the deadline for filing
reporting forms cannot be met . Sen Steve Symms ( ID ) has been among those
prodding the Bureau in the direction of a second look.
NWRA President George Proctor proposed at the NWRA Board Meeting in
Jackson Hole that a two-day meeting on the RRA be held at the San Francisco
Airport on September 27 and 28. For all practical purposes, this will be the
same group that used to be called the Farm/Water Alliance Drafting Com-
mittee--of which former NWRA President Jim Sorensen was chairman and in which
the NWRA leadership was an active core . In order to offset expenses which in
former times were paid by the Farm/Water Alliance, a modest registration fee
will be charged. Gordon Nelson formerly Farm/Water Coordinator, and NWRA
Executive Vice President Pat O ' Meara will preside . It is expected that the
Thursday afternoon session will be taken up by discussions among water user
participants to identify problems, assign priorities to those problems , and
seek consensus as to solutions . On Friday, we expect Mr. Broadbent and others
from the Department and the Bureau to join us and talk things out . Mark
September 27 and 28 on your calendar . More details will appear in the next
issue of NWL.
A follow-up meeting will be held at the annual NWRA convention in
Phoenix. It will be on Tuesda November 13, at 4 o.
1984 CONVENTION, HYATT REGE a�1ZONA, NOVEMBER 11-15
841168
already be there , or be on their way -- for the annual convention of the
National Water Resources Association November 11-15 . By now you will have
received a packet of information from the Arizona Convention Committee . The
Board of Directors urges you to register as soon as possible. These are the
reasons :
* There are three other conventions in Phoenix at the same time, so to be
sure of accommodations send in your registration NOW!
* You will save money. There is an early registration discount.
* If you register early you can be assured of space in the headquarters
hotel (Hyatt Regency) and be where the action is.
* If you register early you will be eligible to participate in a drawing
for a free trip to Hawaii.
A big turnout for the convention is good for you and it is good for NWRA.
It is good for you because a big turnout offers visible evidence to the
federal officials in attendance that NWRA represents people, and people are
what count . This means your interests can be better served by NWRA. A big
attendance helps NWRA because it means more exhibitors will be interested in
displaying their wares, and more exhibitors means more revenue to help support
the work of NWRA. Be sure and go and see the exhibits . It is one way to say
thanks to the exhibitors . You will be hearing more and more about the Phoenix
convention as the weeks pass, but don ' t delay-REGISTER NOW.
***After listening to a number of excellent presentations at the NWRA
western water seminar, one ward seems to summarize the meeting--disconcerting.
The reports of the status of water legislation and the outlook for future
water development only underscore the need for a strong and active NWRA. That
says it all ! Those of you who weren' t there missed an excellent opportunity
to hear a sobering composite evaluation of the future of western water
development. In some ways, it was like cutting a hold in the ice to take a
swim in the middle of January.
Impelled not only the speakers , but by reports presented by NWRA Committee
Chairmen and comments by member-observers at the NWRA Board meeting, the Board
voted to have a committee formulate recommendations for the future course of
NWRA to be presented at Phoenix. Chairman of the committee is NWRA Vice
President Jack Chrisman (CA) . Others serving are Directors John Sayre (Co) ;
John Specht (TX) ; Jeff Nelson ( SD ) ; and State Execs Sherl Chapman ( ID) and
John Fraser (CA) . President Proctor will serve ex-officio.
A decision made at the Spring Board Meeting in Washington, DC to consider
a by-law change to make chairmen of standing committees members of the Board
of Directors was discussed at considerable length, but action was tabled until
the Phoenix meeting to give the Chrisman Committee an opportunity to evaluate
that approach in the context of NWRA' s overall future direction. Two points
seemed to be emphasized in the discussion: (1 ) There is a desire to go slow in
any change in the matter of appointed members of the Board of Directors ,
although it was recognized this might be a necessary step if NWRA is to
broaden its membership base ; and ( 2 ) representatives of municipal and
industrial water users who are currently members of NWRA are especially
anxious to play a more meaningful role in NWRA activities.
Although viewed in the short term, the Jackson Hole meeting could be
considered a turning point in the history of NWRA, it was in reality only one
of a number of steps in the process of defining the future of the organ-
ization . The process got under way in earnest in the discussions leading to
consideration of a merger of the NWRA and the Water Resources Congress --a
proposal long since abandoned-- and has been ongoing since that time . The
months ahead will be important ones for NWRA.
NWRA President George Proctor said he was elated by the turnout of over
150 members who attended the water seminar . "The series of excellent
presentations" , George said, "certainly provided the attendees with a better
grasp of water policy considerations, the status of water legislation and the
outlook for future water development. "
John Rosholt and Logan Lanham were the winners of the Ted Riggins Open
Golf Tournament, and more than 225 members, wives and family members enjoyed a
tasty barbeque in an idyllic mountain setting.
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