67 



off or return to their nesting areas in poor shape. There is no plan- 

 ning for alternative. Water birds need water. 



We are not insisting on a guarantee of more than 75 percent, 

 but, rather, we are sa5dng that the Secretary should be able to 

 maintain his discretion to provide a reduction. Mr. Chairman, we 

 would like to refer to our written testimony in regard to other 

 changes to H.R. 1906. I can touch on them briefly. 



Mr. DOOLITTLE. Actually, I think your time is up, but we have 

 your full statement, and it will be included in the record. 



Mr. Kerry. Fine. 



[Statement of Mr. Kerry may be found at end of hearing.] 



Mr. DOOLITTLE. I might note at this point we have as well the 

 statement of Representative Greorge Radanovich and, without objec- 

 tion, will be included in the record. 



[Statement of Mr. Radanovich follows:] 



Statement of Hon. George Radanovich, a U.S. Representative from 



California 



One of my goals as a Member of Congress is to provide security for the farmers 

 of the Central Valley. I am convinced that H.R. 1906, the Central Valley Project Re- 

 form Act, will accomplish this objective by clarifying and making needed adjust- 

 ments to the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA). It is important to 

 note that H.R. 1906 wiU not repeal the CVPIA; it wUl simply reform this law. 



The CVPIA is badly in need of reform. Despite the claims of some of its support- 

 ers, the CVPIA was not developed by consensus. The interests of agriculture were 

 not adequately taken into consideration when it was written. 



Some opponents of H.R. 1906 say that reform legislation is unnecessary since ad- 

 ministrative changes can solve the problems associated with the CVPIA. I find such 

 statements disingenuous. If administrative changes coxild accomplish the needed re- 

 forms, why have they not yet been enacted more than three years after the passage 

 of the CVPIA? It is clear that only legislation can fix this law. 



H.R. 1906 is Umited in scope. It will retain key environmental provisions of the 

 CVPIA while making common sense changes to see that these provisions are actu- 

 ally effective and workable. It is clear that key environmental provisions of H.R. 

 1906 are not working. Under the CVPIA, water users have annually provided for 

 environmental enhancement. Despite these great sacrifices, supporters of the CVPIA 

 can point to few, if any, environmental improvements that can be attributed to this 

 law. 



H.R. 1906 will continue to require farmers to contribute to the CVPIA Restoration 

 Fund. However, this reform legislation will increase the flexibility of the CVPIA by 

 permitting more of these funds to be used on physical fixes. This will benefit the 

 environment by allowing the proceeds of the Restoration Fund to be used for more 

 innovative environmentsd solutions. 



This reform legislation will make other needed changes to the CVPIA's environ- 

 mental provisions. H.R. 1906 will clarify that the 800,000 acre feet of CVP water 

 dedicated for environmental improvement will be credited with water taken for En- 

 dangered Species Act and Bay-Delta Accord purposes. H.R. 1906 will also broaden 

 the CVPIA's program of doubling the anadromous fish popvilation in the Central 

 Valley by making it part of a statewide fish doubling project. 



My gravest concern with the CVPIA is its call for a fishery study on the San Joa- 

 quin iSver. H.R. 1906 would terminate this study. The salmon fishery on the upper 

 San Joaquin River disappeared almost fifty years ago. Any attempts to reestablish 

 this fishery would take inordinate amounts of water fi-om farmers and would likely 

 devastate the economy of the Central Valley. Even Secretary of Interior Babbitt has 

 admitted that such a study would be a waste of Federal money. Under H.R. 1906, 

 the San Joaquin fishery study will be replaced by the reqviirement that the Federal 

 Government and the State of California cooperate with local governments to take 

 steps to mitigate environmental changes in the San Joaquin River. 



I would like to emphasize that H.R. 1906 will not disrupt the Bay-Delta Accord. 

 Agriculhire played a key role, along with urban and environmental interests, in 

 crafting of the Bay-Delta Accord. Farmers remain committed to seeing this historic 

 agreement implemented. 



