San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act

Bill: 110-hr-4074
Sponsor: Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-20]
Introduced: 2007-11-05 in the House
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Animals
California
Central Valley Reclamation Project (California)
Civil actions and liability
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Dams
Department of Commerce
Economics and Public Finance
Endangered species
Energy
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Federal aid to water resources development
Finance and Financial Sector
Gas in submerged lands
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Governmental investigations
Gulf of Mexico
Hydroelectric power
Infrastructure
Land transfers
Law
Licenses
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Nature conservation
Oil and gas leases
Petroleum in submerged lands
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Restoration ecology
Rivers
Salmon
Water allocation (Policy)
Water rights
Water storage
Water supply
Water use

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: 
San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement the Stipulation of Settlement dated September 13, 2006, in 
Natural Resources Defense Council, et al. v. Kirk Rodgers, et al.
, United States District Court, Eastern District of California, in cooperation with the state of California. Directs the Secretary to: (1) enter into agreements with California to facilitate or expedite Settlement implementation; and (2) identify impacts and measures to mitigate impacts on adjacent and downstream water users and landowners. Provides that Settlement implementation and the reintroduction of Chinook salmon shall not result in the involuntary reduction in contract water allocations to Central Valley Project long-term contractors apart from Friant Division contractors.

Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) acquire through purchase from willing sellers property needed to implement the Settlement; and (2) dispose of such property. Requires proceeds from the disposal of such property to be deposited into a San Joaquin River Restoration Fund. 

Declares that the Settlement satisfies and discharges the Secretary's obligations under the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992. Provides for the reintroduction of Chinook salmon into the San Joaquin River. 

Directs the Secretary to: (1) convert specified long-term contracts to provide for repayment of construction costs; (2) establish a conservation of resources fee for non-producing federal oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico; and (3) provide direct financial assistance to the California Water Institute to study coordination and integration of sub-regional integrated regional water management plans into a unified Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.

action_date: 2008-05-13
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Title I: The San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act
 - (Sec. 101) San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary), in cooperation with the state of California, to implement the Stipulation of Settlement dated September 13, 2006, in 
Natural Resources Defense Council, et al. v. Kirk Rodgers, et al.
, United States District Court, Eastern District of California. Directs the Secretary to: (1) enter into agreements with California to facilitate or expedite Settlement implementation; and (2) identify impacts and measures to mitigate impacts on adjacent and downstream water users and landowners. Provides that Settlement implementation and the reintroduction of Chinook salmon shall not result in the involuntary reduction in contract water allocations to Central Valley Project long-term contractors apart from Friant Division contractors.

(Sec. 105) Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) purchase property needed to implement the Settlement from willing sellers; and (2) dispose of such property and deposit proceeds into the San Joaquin River Restoration Fund.

(Sec. 107) Declares that the Settlement satisfies and discharges the Secretary's obligations under the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992.

(Sec. 109) Requires the costs of implementing the Settlement to be covered by payments or in kind contributions made by Friant Division contractors and other non-federal parties, with specified costs shared by California. Directs the Secretary to enter into agreements with California to fund or implement improvements on a project-by-project basis.

(Sec. 110) Directs the Secretary to convert specified long-term contracts to provide for the repayment of construction costs.

(Sec. 111) Provides for the reintroduction of Chinook salmon into the San Joaquin River, contingent upon the Secretary of Commerce finding that a permit for such reintroduction may be issued under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. 

(Sec. 112) Directs the Secretary to establish a conservation of resources fee for non-producing federal oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico, revenues from which shall be treated as offsetting receipts.

Title II: Study to Develop Water Plan; Report
 - (Sec. 201) Directs the Secretary: (1) acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to provide direct financial assistance to the California Water Institute to study coordination and integration of sub-regional integrated regional water management plans into a unified Integrated Regional Water Management Plan; and (2) to ensure that a report containing the results of the Plan is submitted to specified congressional committees within 24 months after financial assistance is made available to the Institute. Authorizes appropriations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-13
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 395.
action_date: 2008-05-13
text: Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 110-633.
action_date: 2008-05-13
text: Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 110-633.
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 15.
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-11-05
text: Introduced in House