President George W. Bush's FY 2005 budget request, released today, includes a total of $956.3 million in new budget authority for the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation.
The Administration's budget proposal will support Reclamation's core mission of managing the delivery of water in the West and the generation of electricity. Reclamation will continue to emphasize improved maintenance of its aging infrastructure to increase the reliability and efficiency of its water and hydropower facilities as well as public and employee safety by devoting substantial resources to the security and safety of its dam operations and other facilities.
The President is proposing $20 million in Reclamation for Water 2025, roughly doubling the amount appropriated by Congress in FY 2004 for the Western Water Initiative. Water 2025 is a priority for Secretary Norton and will focus Reclamation's financial and technical resources on areas in the West where conflict over water either currently exists or is likely to occur in the coming years. Water 2025 will help Western water managers deal with limited water supplies and develop partnerships to nourish a healthy environment and sustain a vibrant economy. The initiative will encourage voluntary water banking and other market-based measures, promote the use of new technology for water conservation and efficiency, encourage research to bring the cost of new water treatment technologies down, and remove institutional barriers to increase cooperation and collaboration among federal, state, tribal, and private organizations. Funding will be directed at on-the-ground projects selected through a 50-50 cost shared Challenge Grant Program.
"The President's budget proposal is fiscally responsible while supporting the operation and maintenance of our facilities and being responsive to the needs and concerns of Western water users," said John Keys, Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. "Water 2025 brings focus to Reclamation's role in Western water management, setting the goal of preventing water crises before they occur while continuing to provide reliable water and power across the West."
"At the same time," Keys continued, "the President's budget request continues our commitment to the people of the Klamath River Basin in meeting the needs of farmers, communities, tribes, and the environment."
The FY 2005 request for Reclamation totals $956.3 million in gross budget authority, an increase of $13.5 million from the FY 2004 enacted level of $942.9 million.
The FY 2005 budget provides $828.5 million for Reclamation's water and related resources account. This includes:
* $366.6 million for facility operations,
facility maintenance, and rehabilitation - of which $64 million is
targeted for the Dam Safety Program to protect the downstream public
by ensuring the safety and reliability of Reclamation dams;
* $498.4 million for water and
energy management and development, land management and development,
and fish and wildlife management and development.
Specifics of the budget request include:
* $52.0 million for the Animas-La
Plata Project to continue implementation of the Colorado Ute Settlement
Act Amendments of 2000, consistent with the funding level for FY
2004;
* $25.0 million for the Klamath
Project to continue and increase funding for studies and initiatives
related to improving water supplies to meet irrigation, wildlife
refuges, and Tribal trust obligations; to continue a water bank;
and for the coordination of Reclamation's Conservation Implementation
Program;
* $18.0 million for the Middle
Rio Grande Project to continue the operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation
of project facilities; provide flood protection; and for efforts
focused on the protection and recovery of the Rio Grande silvery
minnow and southwestern willow flycatcher;
* $17.5 million for the Columbia
and Snake River Federal Columbia River Power System Endangered Species
Act Implementation to continue to implement the reasonable and prudent
alternative that includes measures contained in the two Biological
Opinions issued in December 2000 by the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NOAA Fisheries) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
* $15.0 million for the California Bay Delta account and $54.7 million for the Central Valley Project
Restoration Fund; and,li>
* a $36.6 million undistributed reduction due to anticipated delays.
The Department's Strategic Plan for FY 2003-2008, issued Sept. 30, 2003, incorporates Reclamation's goals and measures, the President's Management Agenda and the Secretary's Citizen-Centered Governance Plan. Under the new plan, Reclamation's major end outcome goals related to water use and power generation are: 1) Deliver Water, consistent with applicable State and Federal Law, in an Environmentally Responsible and Cost Efficient Manner and 2) Generate Hydropower, consistent with applicable State and Federal Law, in an Environmentally Responsible and Cost-efficient Manner. Intermediate outcomes for these areas further integrate performance and budget in Reclamation, and lay the groundwork for implementation of activity based costing in 2004.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
