The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SPOKANE VALLEY AQUIFER” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4330-H4331 on July 8, 2002.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE RATHDRUM PRAIRIE/SPOKANE VALLEY AQUIFER
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4609) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a comprehensive study of the Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer, located in Idaho and Washington.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4609
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE RATHDRUM PRAIRIE/
SPOKANE VALLEY AQUIFER.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the State of Idaho and the State of Washington, shall conduct a comprehensive study of the Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer for the purpose of preparing a model of the aquifer and establishing for those States a mutually acceptable understanding of the aquifer as a ground water resource.
(b) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report on the findings and conclusions of the study by not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--For conducting the study under this section there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $3,500,000.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 4609, the Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer Study Act of 2002, directs the Secretary of the Department of Interior to work with the State of Idaho and the State of Washington to conduct a comprehensive study for the Rathdrum Prairie/Spokane Valley Aquifer by preparing a groundwater model to help establish a mutually acceptable understanding of the aquifer as a groundwater resource. The tools developed by this legislation will help to better coordinate and understand the various factors that influence the quantity and quality of the aquifer and encourage better cooperation between the two States charged with its maintenance operations.
I would like to commend the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt), the sponsor of this legislation, for his work on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt).
Mr. NETHERCUTT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and I am pleased to make a statement in support of this bill.
There is nothing in the Northwest States that is more precious than our air and our water. We in eastern Washington and northern Idaho are blessed with not only these great resources but especially our clean water. We think it is some of the best water in the entire world to drink. So we want to make sure that it is protected, and that is what this bill does.
This bill was introduced by me and by the gentleman from northern Idaho
(Mr. Otter) because we are affected by this bill, and the aquifer which traverses both States affects our respective districts. So we are proud to introduce this bill which calls for a study, as the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) mentioned, to analyze this aquifer, to understand what is there so we can make sure we protect it and wisely manage it. One of the great challenges for us in the Pacific Northwest is to make sure that our abundant resources, our natural resources, our mountains, our streams, our rivers, our lakes, our entire environment is well managed by Federal agencies and by private resources.
So in the case of the aquifer we have a situation where there are some economic interests that want to use it. They want to use it as a resource to provide industrial benefit to eastern Washington and northern Idaho.
But before they do so, we have to be sure that it is protected. What this bill does is to take a hard look at doing a model and a study to make sure we know what is there so that it can be protected.
There is also a disparity in consideration of aquifer use, of economic development, on either side of the border. Spokane, Washington, is my hometown, the major city in my district, the largest population center. It is about 32 miles from the Idaho border. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, rests on the other side of the border in Idaho that is represented by the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter), and the States of Idaho and Washington have very different consideration times for permitting, for permitting for economic benefit and use.
In Idaho, if we want to get a permit, it can take months; in Washington, it can take years. So we think that in doing this study and having the Committee on Resources in Congress adopt this position in a study, we can make sure that there is some continuity of interest in analysis and development that would rest on each side of the border, so that the legislatures of each side, each State, each respective State, would have a chance to look at this issue and understand what is there, and then make policy decisions that are coordinated rather than disparate.
So I can say to the House that there is unanimity on the part of our chambers of commerce that this is a wise approach. There are five chambers of commerce that are in Idaho and Washington State that are affected by this issue, and they are of the opinion and their memberships are of the opinion that this is a wise thing to do; that is, make sure we know what is in the aquifer, what its considerations and characteristics are, so that we can make sure we manage it wisely.
I especially want to thank the Committee on Resources. The gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) and his subcommittee presented this bill in very fast consideration, very fair consideration. The entire Committee on Resources passed it out. I especially am grateful to that Committee on Resources that took into account this very important measure that affects a large area in eastern Washington and northern Idaho.
I will restate again that the environmental protections that we seek from this bill are sensible, they are reasonable, and they are timely. It is estimated that there are millions of gallons that go through this aquifer and would be presented by it, but we have to be sure that we know what is there, and we have to be sure that what is there is wisely managed so that we protect this wonderful resource that we have in the Pacific Northwest, a clean environment, a great place to live and work, a great place to have economic development, at the same time we protect our environmental resources.
So I will thank the gentleman from Nebraska and his counterpart, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), for his courtesy in allowing me to say a few words in support of my bill. I speak on behalf of the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter) in thanking the committee and subcommittee of jurisdiction for considering this measure, and we hope it will pass overwhelmingly.
Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. WU asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4609 directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of groundwater resources in certain areas of Washington and Idaho. In the Pacific Northwest, our water resources are precious resources, and we expect the results of the study to provide the States with reliable information they can use to better manage the groundwater resource which is shared between the States.
I commend my colleagues, the gentlemen from Idaho and Washington, for bringing this legislation to the floor, and urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4609.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kolbe). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4609.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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