Statement About the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act

THE COLORADO River Basin Salinity Control Act represents an important milestone in the cordial and continuing international relationship between this Nation and our neighbor to the south, Mexico. Enactment of this legislation will enable the Federal Government to implement measures that will provide Mexico with water of a higher quality than it presently receives from the Colorado River.

The quality of Mexico's Colorado River water has been recognized as a serious problem by both governments since the early 1960's, when water resources development within the U.S. portion of the Colorado River basin resulted in significant increases in water salinity levels at the international boundary. A number of measures were undertaken to ameliorate this portion but did not result in a permanent solution.

In June 1972, during his visit to this country, I gave President Echeverria my personal commitment that every effort would be made to find a mutually satisfactory solution to this problem. I appointed Ambassador Herbert Brownell as my special representative to study alternative ways of resolving the problem. The plan recommended by Ambassador Brownell and approved by me formed the basis of an agreement with the Mexican Government and would be implemented through those measures included in this bill. This permanent and definitive solution to the salinity problem was accepted over others because it represents an equitable arrangement for the water users in the Mexicali Valley, while not creating adverse effects on current and planned use of the resources of the Colorado River by the seven basin States within the United States.

The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act demonstrates that difficult problems between nations can be satisfactorily solved if those nations are willing to negotiate in good faith. This has been a key concept in our foreign policy. I congratulate the Congress of the United States for its expeditious action in passing this legislation and look forward to cooperation with the Congress in implementing this agreement.

In addition to those measures necessary to carry out the international agreement with Mexico, the Congress has authorized several domestic salinity control projects for the Colorado River basin. While I share the desire of the Congress to improve the water quality conditions of the Nation's rivers and waterways, I am concerned that authorization of the four U.S. desalting projects may be premature at this time.

As called for by current Federal water pollution control legislation, the States are now assessing water pollution problems arising from natural or diffuse sources of pollutants. These State studies will be completed early next year and will serve as the basis for consideration of a national program for combating these sources of pollution. These domestic Colorado River desalting projects are premature because they have been authorized before the Federal role in a national water pollution program could be properly developed on the basis of these current State studies.

Also, the financial arrangement for the development of these projects is, to a large extent, contrary to those policies established by this Administration and the Congress for placing most of the financial responsibility for pollution abatement on those who are causing the pollution problem or, in the case of natural pollution, placing the cost of water purification on the water users. When a national Federal program for controlling pollution of this kind is finally developed, I will recommend to the Congress that these Colorado River projects be altered if necessary to conform with these policies.