Date: 2014-02-05
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman for yielding. and I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3964. Mr. Chair. the bill before us today. H.R. 3964. is a radical bill that is strongly opposed by the State of California as well as other Western states. fishing groups. and many other stakeholders. H.R. 3964 would seriously undermine our ability to solve Californias water problems. and it poses a serious threat to water management all across the Western United States. And. to be clear. this is not a manmade drought. There is not enough water to meet all demands. In 2009. with the Endangered Species Act and other environmental laws in place. more water was exported than in other drought years. This bill would effectively repeal the last hundred years of policymakingunraveling legal settlements. defying settled Supreme Court precedent. and upending state and local efforts to find solutions. H.R. 3964 would block or repeal numerous state and federal laws protecting Californias BayDelta estuary and San Joaquin River. including: The 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act. The 2009 San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. The 2009 bipartisan compromise passed by the California State Legislature. The state and federal endangered species acts. and Several other provisions of state law and water rights. Whats worse. this bill explicitly overrides more than 100 years of federal law by exempting the federal Central Valley Project from Section 8 of the Reclamation Act of 1902. which requires deference to State authority over water resources. Republicans have to understand that reverting back to the 1994 BayDelta Accord would severely damage the ecosystem. We cant negate 20 years of science and expect our ecosystem to survive. This bill is opposed by a range of stakeholders from across California and around the country. including Trout Unlimited. the United Farm Workers. and every major national conservation and wildlife group. Eighty California environmental. environmental justice. recreational and commercial fishing groups. and Indian tribes signed a letter of opposition that was sent to all House members. Many water agencies. local governments. and business groups across California also oppose the bill. And serious economic analysis shows that this bill would devastate our economy. The Delta Protection Commission says that. "Delta agriculture supports nearly 23.000 jobs statewide. over $1.9 billion in value added to the state. and over $4.6 billion in economic output in the state of California." Three different studies from UC Davis. University of the Pacific. and UC Berkeley estimated that the drought cost approximately 4.000 to 5.000 jobs in 2008/09. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggers Administration estimated that the twoyear closure of the salmon fishery in 2008 and 2009 resulted in the loss of $534 million and almost 5.000 jobs. The Delta Protection Commission stated that Delta recreation and tourism generates approximately over 4.900 jobs and $600 million in economic output in the state of California. As California State Governor Brown wrote to California offices: "H.R. 3964 is an unwelcome and divisive intrusion into Californias efforts to manage this severe crisis. It would override state laws and protections. and mandate that certain water interests come out ahead of others. It falsely suggests the promise of water relief when that is simply not possible given the scarcity of water supplies. H.R. 3964 would interfere with our ability to respond effectively and flexibly to the current emergency. and would reopen old water wounds undermining years of progress toward reaching a collaborative longterm solution to our water needs." This bill is a radical attempt to put one special interest ahead of everyone else in California. and it would end all productive efforts to solve problems in California. I strongly oppose H.R. 3964 and urge my colleagues to oppose this dangerous bill.