Orland Project Transfer Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the ``Orland Project Transfer Act'' at the request of the Orland Water Users' Association, which operates and maintains this Reclamation project in the northern Sacramento Valley. I thank Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA01) for his support as the bill's original cosponsor.

Our bipartisan bill would transfer ownership of the Orland Project-- encompassing the East Park Reservoir (50,900 acre-feet) in Colusa County, the Stony Gorge Reservoir (50,380 acre-feet) in Glenn County, and approximately 17 miles of irrigation canals and laterals--from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to a to-be established local public agency. The title transfer for the Orland Project under our bill mirrors the title transfer process for Reclamation projects established under the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116-9).

The Orland Water Users' Association would be required to first re- incorporate as a local public agency under California state law, such as a water or irrigation district, to assume title to the Orland Project under the bill. Built by the federal government over a century ago, the Orland Project has been operated and maintained locally since 1958 by the Water Users' Association, which repaid its share of the Project's construction costs in 1989. The Water Users' Association believes it is now ready to assume legal ownership of the Orland Project, and I am pleased to work to transfer the Project to full local control.

The ``Orland Project Transfer Act'' would provide new, dedicated funding to make capital improvements at the Orland Project, at no expense to American taxpayers. First, the bill would allow the local public agency (successor to the Orland Water Users' Assortation) to keep proceeds from sales of ``excess'' water from the Project to bring the Stony Gorge and East Park Dams up to the California Department of Water Resources' dam safety standards, which are more stringent than the federal standards Reclamation projects are required to meet. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will only use available funds to satisfy federal dam safety standards. Second, the bill would allow this newly available funding source to be used to address public safety concerns presented by the Project's uncovered irrigation canals in the City of Orland. In 2017, an infant and one of my constituents tragically drowned in the Orland Project's uncovered irrigation canals near a residential development.

Madam Speaker, I look forward to working with Chairman Grijalva (D- AZ) and all members of the House Committee on Natural Resources on this legislative title transfer for the Orland Project in my Congressional district.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source