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fact, the Bureau has shown real enthusiasm for administrative 

 remedies only since water users began seeking legislative 

 solutions . 



As a result of our experience, we have seen a need for 

 changes in policy direction relative to implementation of the 

 CVPIA, as well as for changes in certain legislative directives 

 outlined by the CVPIA. HR 1906 would provide badly needed 

 clarification and direction for the responsible federal agencies 

 so that environmental improvements and activities can be 

 implemented promptly and effectively. 



I want to spend a few moments to address the kinds of things 

 that HR 1906 does -- and to clarify what it doesn't do. 



1) HR 1906 reserves 800,000 acre feet of CVP water for system- 

 wide fisheries protection, mitigation and restoration 

 measures. This water would be used to meet ESA and 

 Bay/Delta water quality needs as well as other environmental 

 obligations. After the water has fulfilled its 

 environmental purposes, it would be available for re-use by 

 CVP customers. 



2) HR 1906 requires CVP customers to continue paying more than 

 $30 million per year into a Restoration Fund. This money is 

 earmarked for environmental restoration, protection and 

 mitigation activities - including physical and operational 

 changes to the CVP, acquisition of water, etc. 



3) HR 1906 continues to require implementation of many specific 

 fishery improvements intended to restore or enhance Central 

 Valley fish production. The bill also obligates the 

 Interior Department to work jointly with the State in 

 pursuit of California's "fish doubling" goal. H.R. 1906 

 also maintains Trinity River fish flows of at least 340,000 

 acre- feet annually while the need for additional flows is 

 studied. 



4) HR 1906 maintains existing guarantees of firm water supplies 

 for wetland hcdsitat, and the bill continues to give wildlife 

 refuges priority over agricultural users during shortages. 



5) HR 1906 continues to authorize water transfers outside the 

 CVP service area in a manner that ensures that they are 

 feasible. It also clarifies that transfers within the 

 CVP service area can continue unimpeded by bureaucratic 

 delays . 



In short, H.R. 1906 continues to provide more than 1.3 

 million acre-feet of water and tens of millions of dollars 

 annually for environmental protection, enhancement and 

 mitigation. Clearly, H.R. 1906 is not a "roll back" to the pre- 

 CVPIA days. It is not a "gutting" of the law. If it were, there 



