<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=left><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p>See paragraph
below which mentions the Trinity River</o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=left><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p>#####################################</o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=left><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Senator
Dianne Feinstein<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none"
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Statement
on Introduction of<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">San
Joaquin</SPAN></B></st1:PlaceName><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></SPAN></B></st1:place><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
Restoration Settlement Act<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><st1:date w:st="on" Year="2006" Day="5" Month="12"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">December
5, 2006</SPAN></B></st1:date><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Mr.
President, I rise today to introduce -- with my cosponsor Senator Boxer -- an
historic bill that will end 18 years of litigation between the Natural Resources
Defense Council, the Friant Water Authority, and the U.S. Department of the
Interior.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The legislation will
enact a settlement that accomplishes the restoration of <st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State>’s second longest river, the <st1:place
w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:place>, while maintaining a stable water supply for
the farmers who have made the Valley bloom and have supplied low-cost
agricultural products to Americans from coast to coast.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The
alternative to a consensus resolution to this long- running western water battle
basis is to continue the fight.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>To
my knowledge, every farmer and every environmentalist who has considered the
possibility of continued litigation believes that an outcome imposed by a judge
is likely to be worse for everyone on all counts: more costly, riskier for the
farmers, and less beneficial for the environment.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Because
the Settlement provides a framework that all interests can accept, this
legislation has the strong support of the Bush Administration, the
Schwarzenegger Administration, the environmental and fishing communities and
numerous <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place> farmers and water districts,
including all 22 Friant water districts that have been part of the litigation.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">In
announcing the signing of this <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">San
Joaquin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> settlement in September, the
Assistant Secretary of the Interior praised it as a “monumental agreement.”
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And when the Federal Court then
approved the Settlement in late October, Secretary of the Interior Dirk
Kempthorne further praised Settlement for launching “one of the largest
environmental restoration projects in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>’s history.” The Secretary further
observed that “This Settlement closes a long chapter of conflict and uncertainty
in California’s San Joaquin Valley….and open[s] a new chapter of environmental
restoration and water supply certainty for the farmers and their communities.”
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I
share the Secretary’s strong support for this balanced and historic agreement,
and it is my honor to join with Senator Boxer and a bipartisan group of
California House Members in introducing legislation to approve and authorize
this Settlement before we end the 109<SUP>th</SUP> Congress.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The
legislation indicates how the settlement agreement forged by the parties is
going to be implemented.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It
involves the Departments of the Interior and Commerce, and essentially gives the
Secretary of the Interior the additional authority to:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">o<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Take
the actions to restore the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">San
Joaquin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">o<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Reintroduce
the California Central Valley Spring Run Chinook Salmon;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">o<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Minimize
water supply impacts on Friant water districts; and<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">o<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Avoid
reductions in water supply for third-party water
contractors.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt"><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">One
of the major benefits of this settlement is the restoration of a long-lost
salmon fishery.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The return of one
of <st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State>’s most important salmon runs will
create significant benefits for local communities in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, helping to restore a beleaguered
fishing industry while improving recreation and quality of life.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The
legislation provides for improvements to the <st1:place w:st="on">San
Joaquin</st1:place> river channel to allow salmon restoration to begin in
2014.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Beginning in that year, the
river would see an annual flow regime mandated by the Settlement, with pulses of
additional water in the spring and greater flows available in wetter years.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There is flexibility to add or subtract
up to 10% from the annual flows, as the best science dictates.<BR><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">A
visitor to the revitalized river channel in a decade will find an entirely
different place providing recreation and relaxation for residents of small towns
like Mendota, and a refuge for residents of larger cities like <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Fresno</st1:City></st1:place>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The
legislation I am introducing today includes provisions to benefit the farmers of
the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> as well as the
salmon:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">In
wet years, Friant contractors can purchase surplus flows at $10 per acre-foot
for use in dry years, far less than the approximately $35 per acre-foot that
they would otherwise pay for this water.<BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The
Secretary of the Interior is authorized to recirculate new restoration flows
from the Delta via the <st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State> aqueduct and
the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Cross-Valley</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Canal</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> to provide additional
supply for Friant. <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><o:p></o:p></U></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>Today’s legislation also includes substantial protections for other water
districts in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place> who were not party to the original
settlement negotiations.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>These
other water contractors will be able to avoid all but the smallest water impacts
as a result of the settlement, except on a voluntary basis</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT face="Times New Roman">.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">In
addition, the restoration of flows for over 150 miles below Friant Dam, and
reconnecting the upper River to the critical San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, will
be a welcome change for the more than 22 million Californians who rely on that
crucial source for their drinking water.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Finally,
restoring the San Joaquin as a living salmon river may ultimately help
struggling fishing communities on <st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State>’s
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">North</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Coast</st1:PlaceType> – and even into <st1:place w:st="on">Southern
Oregon</st1:place>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The restoration
of the <st1:place w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:place> and the government’s
commitment to reintroduce and rebuild historic salmon populations provide a rare
bright spot for these communities.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><STRONG><EM><U>In
addition to congratulating the parties for making a settlement that will enable
the long-sought restoration of the San Joaquin River, I am mindful of and remain
committed to progress in implementing and funding the December 19, 2000, Trinity
River restoration record of decision and the Hoopa Valley Tribe's co-management
of the decision's important goal of restoring the fishery resources that the
United States holds in trust for the
Tribe.<o:p></o:p></U></EM></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Support
of this agreement is almost as far reaching as its benefits. This historic
agreement would not have been possible without the participation of a remarkably
broad group of agencies, stakeholders and legislators, reaching far beyond the
settling parties.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The Department of
the Interior, the State of <st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State>, the
Friant Water Users Authority, the Natural Resources Defense Council on behalf of
13 other environmental organizations and countless other stakeholders came
together and spent countless hours with legislators in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Washington</st1:State></st1:place> to ensure that
we found a solution that the large majority of those affected could support.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Last
month, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place> voters showed their support by
approving Propositions 84 and 1E that will help pay for the Settlement by
committing at least $100 million and likely $200 million or more toward the
restoration costs. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Indeed, this
Legislation includes a diverse mix of approximately $200 million in direct Water
User payments, new State payments, $240 million in dedicated Friant Central
Valley Project capital repayments, and future federal appropriations limited to
$250 million.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This mix of
funding sources is intended to ensure that the river restoration program will be
sustainable over time and truly a joint effort of federal, state and local
agencies. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Courier New'">I
would like to emphasize that the federal funding in the bill is for
implementation of both the Restoration Goal to reestablish a salmon fishery in
the river, and the Water Management Goal to avoid or minimize water supply
losses supplied by Friant Water Districts.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is important to recognize that
these efforts are of equal importance.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">At
the end of the day, I believe that this agreement is something that we can all
feel very proud of, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to move quickly to
approve this legislation and provide the Administration the authorization it
needs to fully carry out its legal obligations and the extensive restoration
opportunities under the settlement.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I ask unanimous
consent that the text of the bill be printed in the<B> RECORD</B> immediately
following the appearance of this statement and Senator Boxer’s
statement.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>