HomeMy WebLinkAbout851216.tiff Volume 9, No.4
February 22, 1985 --
c's „:NATIONAL WATER LINE®
National Water Resources Association 955 L'Enfant Plaza, North Bldg., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20024 (202)488-0610
***There may be fireworks at the Energy and Natural Resource Committee
hearings on February 27 and 28 . The first day will be the budget hearing for
Interior and the second will be for Energy. The cause of the pyrotechnics
will be the David Stockman OMB inspired proposed changes for repayment of the
irrigation debt by the Power Marketing Administration.
The Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs ) were established by the
Congress to sell hydroelectric power generated from federal dams to wholesale
customers in their region. The PMAs set hydroelectric rates to recover the
federal investment plus interest and to cover the cost of operation and
maintenance . The President ' s budget proposes that the unpaid balance of
principal be repaid annually according to a straight-line amortization
schedule and at an interest rate to be set each year equal to the average
yield of 15 year Treasury securities . Current repayment schedules may be
adjusted annually and the loan interest rates are those that were in effect at
the time of the original investment . In effect the President ' s budget
proposes to switch every existing hydroelectric facility to a variable rate
mortgage .
According to the Western Governors Association, the proposal would
provide increased revenues of approximately $1 billion in 1986 , $800 million
of which would come from the West . Wholesale electric rates for power
marketing administration power would change according to the following table:
Current Proposed Percent
Power Administration Rate Rate Increase
Bonneville 23 mills 34 mills 48
Southeastern 18 32 78
Southwestern 28 49 75
Western Area*
Boulder Canyon 6 .5 7 . 5 15
Central Valley 29 . 9 29 . 5 -1
CRSP 15 .0 23 . 1 54
Parker Davis 8 .6 13 .9 62
Pick Sloan 7 .4 16 .9 128
*WAPA contains a number of separately authorized projects . Differences in
rate changes are a result of differences in the amount of unpaid debt and
current repayment schedules .
***The annual NWRA Federal Water Seminar conducted in conjunction with
the Spring Board of Directors meeting will be held this year on April 22-23 at
the Capitol Holiday Inn, 550 C Street, S.W. , Washington, D.C. 20024 .
The meeting will have a different format this year. It is scheduled for
two morning sessions beginning each day with a 7 : 30 a . m. breakfast and
continuing until about Noon. With afternoons free , attendees can meet with
Members of Congress, Administration officials, or just sightsee.
When arrangements are complete, we expect to be able to provide attendees
with a high caliber program. Among the dignitaries who already have accepted
our invitation to participate are Senator James A. McClure, Chairman of the
Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Senator Robert Stafford, Chairman of
the Committee on Environment and Public Works ; Representative Robert Roe,
Chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources of the Public Works and
Transportation Committee ; Representative Tom Bevill , Chairman of the
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development of the Committee on
Appropriations ; Lt . General E . R. Heiberg, III , Chief of Engineers; and Jack
Ravan , Assistant Administrator for Water , Environmental Protection Agency.
The registration fee for this two day event has been set at $170 .00 , which
includes the two meals.
We urge NWRA members to plan now to participate in this prestigious
event . The Board of Directors will meet Monday afternoon, April 22 , and
Wednesday morning , April 24 . The meeting on April 22 will be an Executive
Session to select a new Executive Vice President to replace retiring Pat
O1985aCONVENTION, SHERATON WAI J, HI, NOVEMBER 3-8
851216
House Public Works and Transportation Committee : Democrats - Robert A. Roe
(NJ ) , Chairman; John B. Breaux (LA) ; Douglas Bosco (CA) ; Edolphus Towns (NY) ;
Robert Wise (WV) ; Peter Visclosky ( IN ) ; Glenn Anderson (CA) ; James L .
Oberstar (MN) ; Norman Y. Mineta (CA) ; Henry Nowak (NY) ; Bob Edgar (PA) ; Robert
A. Young ( MO ) ; Nick Joe Rahall (WV) ; Fofo Sunia (AS) ; Jim Moody (WI ) ; Robert
Borski ( PA) ; Joe Kolter (PA) ; and James J . Howard (NJ ) . Republicans - Arlan
Stangeland (MN ) , ranking minority member; John Paul Hammerschmidt (AR) ; Bob
McEwen (OH ) ; Thomas E. Petri (WI ) ; Don Sundquist (TN) ; Nancy L. Johnson (CT) ;
Ron Packard (CA) ; Thomas DeLay (TX) ; H . L . (Sonny ) Callahan (AL ) ; Dean A.
Gallo (NJ ) ; Helen Delich Bentley (MD) ; and Gene Snyder (KY) .
This Subcommittee will consider bills of major interest to NWRA including
H . R. 6 , Water Resources Conservation, Development, and Infrastructure
Improvement and Rehabilitation Act of 1985 ( generally referred to as the
Omnibus Public Works Authorization) ; H . R. 8 , to amend the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act , and while not yet introduced, there will be legislation
covering amendments to the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
You will note ( sadly) that of the 27 members of this Subcommittee, just
four are from NWRArea ( 3 from California and one from Texas ) .
***Following O ' Meara ' s complaint to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources , at the confirmation hearing for Secretary Hodel , that several
Senators had questioned Hodel about the proposed merger of the Bureau of Land
Management and the National Forest Service , but none had asked a question
about the proposed merge of the COE and BuRec . Subsequently, the Committee
submitted over 150 questions to Secretary Hodel , and the second question on
the list related to the COE-BuRec merger . To summarize Hodel ' s answer, the
Secretary said: I am informed the analysis of the proposed merger indicates
the cost would exceed the savings through FY ' 88 . I would like to become
better informed on these matters before taking a definitive position about
specific proposals .
Because Hodel has just taken over the reins at Interior, there has been
an unwritten delay in moving ahead with the proposed merger of COE & BuRec ,
but by no means has the Administration given up on the idea. Whatever the
proposal of the two agencies may be, the issue probably will go to the Cabinet
Counsel on Environment and Public Works .
***The Government Printing Office has just released a new publication
that will be of interest to many NWRA members . "Uprating the Hoover Dam
Documents , 1978" , is a 803 page publication which describes river storage
projects , operating criteria for reservoirs, and summaries of litigation. It
also contains the major documents which date from 1948 pertaining to the
Colorado River. Additionally, chapters on "United States Colorado River Water
Delivery and Related Contracts " and "Power Contracts " enumerate all the
current contracts in those categories coupled with the events that occurred
prior to 1948 , this publication constitutes "The Law of the River" .
To order "Uprating the Hoover Dam Documents " , stock number
024-003-00149-0 , send prepayment of $19 .00 , payable to the Superintendent of
Documents , to Department 3G-LV, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D .C .
20402 , or to order by Mastercard or Visa call (202 ) 783-3238 .
***We regret to report the demise of a stalwort NWRA member and a civic
leader in the development of the water resources of New Mexico.
Draper Brantley, Sr . , who served on the NWRA Board of Directors from
1973-76 passed away this past December . A native of Carlsbad, he was a civic
and business leader who toiled successfully for the construction of Brantley
Dam ( named for his pioneer father) . His service to his community, the state
and the nation serve as a monument to his memory.
***With all the debate underway on tax reform, Representative Mo Udall
says he is going to introduce his simplified three step tax plan : 1 . How
much did you make? 2 . How much do you have left? 3 . Send it inl
***Bill Plummer, Regional Director of BuRec for the Lower Colorado Region
is being transferred to Denver to fill the vacancy of Chief Engineer. Some are
speculating that the vacancy at Boulder City opens a slot for Bob Olson, now
Acting Commissioner , should Olson not be selected to fill the top slot in
favor of a political appointee.
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