TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending May 21, 2004

S 1848 Bend Pine Nursery Conveyance, Oregon. 

BRIEF

  The bill would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to sell, for recreational use, the Bend Pine Nursery Administrative Site to the Bend Metro Park and Recreation District, Deschutes County, Oregon.

   Directs the District to convey without consideration a certain parcel of such land for educational use to Administrative School District No. 1, Deschutes County, Oregon.

The property is about 170 acres and was once used by the Forestry Service to grow pine tree saplings.

   15 acres would go to the school district

Sponsor: Senator Pete V. Domenici (R-NM)

Vote: Passed Senate by unanimous consent.

Cost to the taxpayer: Two years ago the property was appraised and agreed to at $3 million but the deal was not completed through no fault of the buyer, Bend, Oregon. Now, the appraised price is $5.8 million. Settling on the original price of $3 million then adjusting for inflation and subtracting the value of the 15 acres for the school district, Bend will  pay $3,505,676.## All rights reserved. No reproduction in any form without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.

WYOMING

S943 To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contract with the city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the storage of the city's water in the Kendrick Project, Wyoming.

BRIEF
   Would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into one or more contracts with the City of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the annual storage of water for municipal and industrial uses in the Seminoe dam and reservoir of the Kendrick Project. The contract is limited to not more than 40 years.

  The Kendrick Project is the Bureau of Reclamation project on the North Platte River that was authorized on August 30, 1935, and constructed for irrigation and electric power generation. It includes the Seminoe Dam, Reservoir, and Power plant; and the  Alcova Dam and Powerplant.

Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [WY

Vote: Passed Senate by unanimous consent.

Cost to the taxpayer: No discernible cost.

HAWAII

S 960 Hawaii Water Resources Act of 2004

BRIEF

S 960 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of a project in Kalaeloa, Hawaii, to desalinate and distribute seawater for direct potable use within the service area. The Secretary could also participate in the design planning and construction of facilities in Kealakehe, Hawaii, for the treatment and distribution of recycled water and for environmental purposes within the county as well as facilities in Lahaina, Hawaii, for the distribution of recycled water from the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility for non-potable uses within the County of Maui. Land would be acquired for the facilities.

Sponsor: Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)

Vote: Passed Senate by unanimous consent.

Cost to the taxpayer: Of the estimated $66 million the Federal share is around $16 million between 2005 and 2009.  The Federal share should not exceed 25% of total cost and no federal funds can be spent for project operation and maintenance.##

WESTERN STATES

S 1516 Authorizing the Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Assessment Program.

BRIEF

   Congress concludes that the drought in the US west is compounded by the existence of two non-native species of trees, the Salt Cedar and the Russian Olive-that use an inordinate amount of water. One calculation is that a Salt Cedar tree can consume 200 gallons of water daily.

   The tress occupy one million to one and one half million acres and use 2 to 4.5 million acre-feet of water per year. Most of the trees are on Federal land.

   The bill would require an assessment of the tree population and a plan to manage them.

Sponsor: Senator Pete Domineci (R-NM)

Vote: Pass Senate by unanimous consent

Cost to the taxpayer: The bill would authorize $50 million for 2004 and such sums as would be necessary beyond 2004.

S 1721 American Indian Probate Reform Act

BRIEF

S 1721 would revise the requirements for testamentary and non-testamentary disposition of interests in trust, restricted lands, and the personal property of an Indian. (Editor’s note: testamentary refers to after death disposition of property)

The bill sets forth the revisions as such.

Sponsor: Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO)

Vote: Passed Senate by unanimous consent.

Cost to the taxpayer: No discernible cost.

## All rights reserved. No reproduction in any form is allowed without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.