The proposed bill directs the subsequent NEPA analysis to assume that the baseline for NEPA environmental impact analysis assumes that the diversions have already occurred. The proposed bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to contract for diversions up to 500 cfs just upstream of the State and Federally designated wild and scenic lower American River. The proposed bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to work to arrange new points of diversion for Federal water upstream of portions of the South Fork of the River found eligible for wild and scenic river status by Federal agencies. Environmental Decisions of a Federal Court is Defeated. The Secretary of the Interior is directed to provide service from the Federal Folsom South Canal to areas currently enjoined from such use by the Federal Courts.
Environmental Impacts are Likely to Be Large.
The proposals in the draft Doolittle bill would authorize and direct dramatically larger and more environmentally destructive projects than envisioned in the regional water development plan still under development. These proposals will also have much larger adverse impacts on out of project area CVP contractors. Reportedly, a key provision in the 1999 WRDA would authorize a number of water supply projects for Representative Doolittle's district at a cost of at least a few hundred million dollars. We urge you to vote for Representative Tauscher's amendment that would strike these projects from the bill. The cost of water supply projects is normally fully reimbursed for capital costs and interest on those costs by local and state water users.