Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4094) to amend the Central Utah Project Completion Act to authorize expenditures for the conduct of certain water conservation measures in the Great Salt Lake basin, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4094
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act''. SEC. 2. WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES IN THE GREAT SALT LAKE BASIN.
Title II of the Central Utah Project Completion Act (Public Law 102-575; 106 Stat. 4605) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 213. WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES IN THE GREAT SALT LAKE BASIN.
``(a) In General.-- The Secretary may use any unexpended budget authority provided under subsections (a)(2) and (c) of section 202 for the conduct of water conservation measures within the Great Salt Lake basin in accordance with section 207.
``(b) Compliance With Definite Plan Report.--Any water conservation measure conducted under subsection (a) shall be considered to be compliant with the Definite Plan Report completed under section 205(a).''.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. 4094, the bill now under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation led by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), which amends the Central Utah Project Completion Act.
As we all know, the Great Salt Lake is one of Utah's most famous natural resources. In recent years, however, the lake levels have dropped to historic lows, posing a threat to the lake's ecosystem, local air quality, and the prosperity of surrounding communities.
Mr. Curtis' legislation would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to use Central Utah Project funds toward new water conservation measures to help recover the Great Salt Lake.
Importantly, this bill does not require any new spending authorizations. I thank Representative Curtis and the rest of Utah's congressional delegation for their leadership on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I am prepared to close.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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