On the recordJune 5, 2012
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2060, as my colleague described, does several things, including providing water and economic certainty to the city of Prineville and the Ochoco Irrigation District. It does so in a way, however, that provides certainty for the city and agriculture, but not the future needs of the environment. The legislation also mandates how Reclamation is to operate and manage the Prineville Reservoir through the first-fill provision and removes some flexibility on Reclamation's part to mitigate and adapt to changing conditions. We still do not fully support the first-fill provision but understand that there are ongoing negotiations that look at providing the certainty that the city needs while protecting the environment. Stakeholder-driven processes are the best way to answer our community's needs, and we look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate and on the other side of the aisle to ensure that all needs are met and protected. I reserve the balance of my time.
