REPORT 1St Session HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES 105–190 "!
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105TH CONGRESS REPORT 1st Session HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 105±190 "! ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 1998 JULY 21, 1997.ÐCommitted to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. MCDADE, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H.R. 2203] The Committee on Appropriations submits the following report in explanation of the accompanying bill making appropriations for en- ergy and water development for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, and for other purposes. INDEX TO BILL AND REPORT Page Number Bill Report Introduction ................................................................................................ ........ 4 I. Department of DefenseÐCivil: Corps of EngineersÐCivil: Corps of Engineers civil works mission ..................................... 2 7 General investigations ................................................................. 2 8 Construction, general .................................................................. 4 32 Flood control, Mississippi River and tributaries, Arkansas, Il- linois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee .................................................................................. 8 48 Operation and maintenance, general ......................................... 8 51 Regulatory program ..................................................................... 9 65 Flood control and coastal emergencies ....................................... 9 65 Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program ................... 10 66 General expenses ......................................................................... 11 67 Administrative provisions ........................................................... 11 ........... II. Department of the Interior: Central Utah Project completion account ......................................... 12 69 Bureau of Reclamation: Water and related resources ....................................................... 13 69 Bureau of Reclamation loan program account .......................... 14 81 Central Valley Project restoration fund ..................................... 15 82 California Bay-Delta ecosystem restoration .............................. 16 83 Policy and Administration .......................................................... 16 83 42±271 2 Page Number Bill Report Administrative provision ............................................................. 17 ........... III. Department of Energy: Introduction ......................................................................................... ........ ........... Energy supply ...................................................................................... 17 90 Non-defense environmental management ......................................... 17 98 Uranium enrichment decontamination and decommissioning fund 18 100 Science ................................................................................................. 18 101 Nuclear waste disposal fund .............................................................. 19 106 Departmental administration ............................................................ 19 107 Office of inspector general .................................................................. 20 110 Atomic energy defense activities: Weapons activities ....................................................................... 20 110 Defense environmental restoration and waste management ... 21 114 Other defense activities ............................................................... 21 122 Defense nuclear waste disposal .................................................. 22 130 Power marketing administrations: Alaska Power Administration ..................................................... 22 130 Bonneville Power Administration ............................................... 22 131 Southeastern Power Administration .......................................... 23 132 Southwestern Power Administration ......................................... 23 132 Western Area Power Administration ......................................... 24 133 Falcon and Amistad operating and maintenance fund ............. 24 134 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ........................................... 25 134 General Provisions .............................................................................. 25 134 IV. Independent agencies: Appalachian Regional Commission ................................................... 29 147 Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board ........................................... 29 147 Nuclear Regulatory Commission ....................................................... 30 148 Office of Inspector General ................................................................. 32 149 Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board ........................................... 33 149 Tennessee Valley Authority ............................................................... 33 150 V. General Provisions ................................................................................ 34 155 House Reporting Requirements ................................................................ ........ 157 SUMMARY OF ESTIMATES AND RECOMMENDATIONS The Committee has considered budget estimates which are con- tained in the Budget of the United States Government, 1998. The following table summarizes appropriations for fiscal year 1997, the budget estimates, and amounts recommended in the bill for fiscal year 1998. 1998 recommendation compared withÐ 1997 appropriation 1998 estimate 1998 recommenda- tion 1997 appropriation 1998 estimate Title IÐDepartment of DefenseÐCivil .............................................................................................................. 4,107,203,000 3,370,470,000 4,029,557,000 ¥77,646,000 +659,087,000 Title IIÐDepartment of the Interior ................................................................................................................... 826,375,000 933,218,000 910,297,000 +83,922,000 ¥22,921,000 Title IIIÐDepartment of Energy .......................................................................................................................... 15,757,418,000 18,433,515,000 15,282,735,000 ¥474,683,000 ¥3,150,780,000 Title IVÐIndependent Agencies .......................................................................................................................... 299,031,000 310,700,000 194,400,000 ¥104,631,000 ¥116,300,000 Subtotal .................................................................................................................................................. 20,990,027,000 23,047,903,000 20,416,989,000 ¥573,038,000 ¥2,630,914,000 Scorekeeping adjustments .................................................................................................................................. ¥1,039,355,000 ¥414,000,000 ¥414,000,000 +625,355,000 .............................. Grand total of bill .................................................................................................................................. 19,950,672,000 22,633,903,000 20,002,989,000 +52,317,000 ¥2,630,914,000 3 4 INTRODUCTION The Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill, 1998, represents another installment payment on the national obligation to balance the budget. At the same time, the bill advances initia- tives to make government more efficient, and it preserves funding for important domestic priorities. As funding in the Energy and Water Bill declines in fiscal year 1998 relative to CBO's baseline, the bill continues to deliver on the promise of deficit reduction. Significantly, the Energy and Water Bill for fiscal year 1998 at- tempts to correct the fundamental imbalance in the Administra- tion's allocation of resources among energy and water activities. The budget request for fiscal year 1998 continues to demonstrate the Administration's hostility toward the nation's water infrastruc- ture. This institutional aversion to water projects (previously mani- fested in proposed Corps of Engineers policies to discontinue the Federal role in local flood control, small harbor maintenance and shore protection efforts) reflects a lack of appreciation for the value of Federal investments in water-related improvements. Flood control projects, which must pass rigorous cost-benefit analyses, are designed to protect our communities from the dev- astating consequences of uncontrolled flood waters. Flood control works provide a real measure of protection for homes, businesses, and lives. The terrible floods of last winter and this spring should alert us all to the importance of developing and maintaining effec- tive flood control mechanisms. Failure to do so is clearly more cost- ly in the long run. It has been demonstrated time and again that a relatively modest investment in preventative measures can save: untold amounts in disaster assistance payments; communities from chaotic disruption, catastrophic physical damage, and enormous fi- nancial liabilities; and, most importantly, lives. Our investments in navigation, shore protection and environ- mental restoration likewise yield outstanding returns. Develop- ment, operation and maintenance of our international harbors and inland waterways help the U.S. preserve its leadership in inter- national commerce. Shoreline erosion projects protect communities and maintain a vital recreational and economic resource. Federal investment in these water-related projects is as appro- priate