Corps of Engineers Reform

CASE STUDY OF THE WEEK: CALFED BAY-DELTA PROGRAM

A new plan to restore San Francisco Bay and the delta created by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers has been criticized by California conservation groups because the Corps proposes to build new water storage facilities and ignores the potential benefits of water conservation.

To learn more, visit http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/html/calfed081799.html or http://calfed.ca.gov

To learn more about Corps of Engineers habitat restoration programs, visit http://www.amrivers.org/corpsreform.html

CONGRESS PASSES WRDA

Before leaving for recess, Congress passed the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, which authorizes new projects and set policy for the Corps of Engineers. Environmental provisions included among the bill were:

• Increased annual spending for Upper Mississippi River habitat restoration
• New, $30 million Missouri River restoration program and expansion of existing program to
• buy 118,650 acres of floodplain land
• New 5-year, $200 million floodplain relocation and restoration program
• Planning reforms to aid consideration of non-structural flood control projects
• Removal of Embrey Dam on the Rappahannock River
• Rio Salado restoration project in Phoenix
• No dam on the American River in California
• New ecosystem restoration projects for the Indian River (FL), Little Wekiva River (FL),
  • Grand Batture Island (MS), River Des Peres (MO), Reelfoot Lake (TN), Hudson River (NY),
  • Blackstone River (RI), and others.
• New watershed management projects in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Nevada,
• Oregon, North Carolina, and others.

To view the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, visit http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas2.html and type in H.R. 1480. To view a list of projects, visit http://www.amrivers.org/wrdaprojects99.pdf.

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS

The Energy and Water Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee are now reconciling competing versions of the Energy and Water Appropriations Bills for FY 2000, which provide annual funding for the Corps. Both House and Senate versions cut funding for Corps habitat restoration programs. To learn more and find out what you can do, visit http://www.amrivers.org/rbudget.html

HELP SUPPORT INCREASED FUNDING FOR RIVER-RELATED PROGRAMS

Although FY 00 has not yet begun, it is already time to begin looking ahead to funding priorities for river conservation for FY 01. To support increased federal funding for important river-related programs, please sign on to American Rivers River Budget for FY 01. The document is available online at http://www.amrivers.org/rbudget-action.html. To sign on, email Suzy McDowell at smcdowell@amrivers.org or call 202-347-7550 x3040.

CORPS HABITAT RESTORATION CONFERENCE

American Rivers and the Corps of Engineers are hosting a one-day conference on Corps of Engineers habitat restoration projects on October 7 in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Following presentations by Corps officials on completed projects, members of American Rivers' Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee and conference participants will provide feedback to Corps officials on project design and performance. The conference is particularly helpful for organizations that want to work with the Corps on habitat restoration projects. For more information or a registration form, contact Kelly Miller at kmiller@amrivers.org or call 1-877-4RIVERS.

• Suzy McDowell
• Outreach Coordinator
• American Rivers
• 1025 Vermont Ave, NW, #720
• Washington, DC 20005
• 202-347-7550 x3040
• smcdowell@amrivers.org

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