Legislative Update

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Congress is in its August recess, but today's update includes what happened on the Hill 
last week.  The Senate will return August 31st and the House is scheduled to return on 
September 8th.  The American Rivers Weekly Legislative Update will resume when Congress 
reconvenes.  Any future questions about the American Rivers listserv ought to be directed 
to Tina Yin (tyin@amrivers.org).  My summer internship ends this week and I head back to 
school.  Many thanks to all of you for your encouragement, suggestions, and questions.  I 
really enjoyed communicating with America's river enthusiasts!    
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American Rivers Legislative Update
For the week of August 10th:
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Dams, Hydropower, and Electric Restructuring:
 
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Flood Control and Riparian Restoration:

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Mining and Grazing:

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General Restoration, Pacific Salmon, and Other Fish and Wildlife:

Last Wednesday, the House passed its Commerce, State, Justice FY '99 Appropriations bill 
(H. R. 4276, H. Rpt. 105-636).  The bill would provide $2 billion for the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration, significantly below the corresponding Senate version, and 
$78 million below the Administration's request.  The House rejected an amendment by 
Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) to increase funding by $8 million to control nonpoint 
source pollution.  The House approved Congressman Sam Farr's (D-CA) amendment which would 
increase funding for the National Estuary and Research Reserve Program by $1 million.

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Sites and Projects:

On Wednesday, the House Resources Committee approved a number of bills including:

H.R. 2756 which would allow the Kake Tribal Corporation to trade Alaska's Gunnuk Creek 
watershed for Forest Service lands of equal value;

H.R. 1481 which would permit implementation of recommendations made in a 1995 study to 
restore the Great Lakes fishery;

H.R. 3056 which would transfer the authority to operate and maintain the Flathead Indian 
Irrigation Project in Montana to local users.

H.R. 4389 which would authorize a number of facility-transfer bills including:

H.R. 1282 which would authorize the transfer of the Minidoka Project in Idaho to the 
Burley Irrigation District,
H.R. 1943 which would transfer property within New Mexico's Carlsbad Project to the 
Carlsbad Irrigation District, 
H.R. 2161 which would transfer authority of the Palmetto Bend Project to the state of 
Texas,
H.R. 4048 which would transfer the Sly Park Dam and Reservoir to the El Dorado Irrigation 
District in California,
H.R. 3687 which would authorize prepayments for the Canadian River Project in Texas for 
amounts listed under a water reclamation project contract,
H.R. 3715 which would allow the Secretary of the Interior to transfer the jurisdiction of 
lands within Colorado's Pine River Project between the Departments of the Interior and 
Agriculture, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs,
H.R. 3706 which would allow the Secretary of the Interior to implement the provisions of 
the Clear Creek Distribution System Conveyance Act, and
H.R. 3677 which would transfer authority of the Gila Project in Arizona to the 
Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District.

The House passed the aforementioned bill, H.R.3687, late Thursday with a slight amendment.

The House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands approved H.R. 4141 
which would expand the boundaries of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.  
The bill would permit the National Park Service to purchase land from willing landowners 
within 2000 feet of each river bank.
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Water Quality:

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Wetlands:

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Links to past updates:
August 3rd: http://www.amrivers.org/policy8-3.html
July 27th: http://www.amrivers.org/policy7-27.html
July 20th: http://www.amrivers.org/policy7-20.html
July 13th: http://www.amrivers.org/policy7-13.html
July 6th: http://www.amrivers.org/policy7-6.html
June 29th: http://www.amrivers.org/policy6-29.html
June 22nd: http://www.amrivers.org/policy6-22.html
June 15th: http://www.amrivers.org/policy6-15.html
June 8th : http://www.amrivers.org/policy6-8.html

American Rivers
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Washington, DC 20005
(202) 347-7550