Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4498 - Grand Canyon Protection Act of 1990

(House)
(Miller (D) California and 29 others)

The Administration supports the goal of H.R. 4498, which is to protect the environmental resources downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam. The bill would do this by imposing power operating criteria on the Dam, including interim operating criteria for water flows within 90 days of the bill's enactment.

As currently drafted the bill could not be implemented, because the research necessary to determine interim operating criteria will not be completed before July 1991. The Administration will work in the Senate to seek amendments to allow sufficient time for the completion of the research so that the criteria would be based on sound scientific evidence.

The Secretary of the Interior currently has sufficient authority to administratively establish power operating criteria including interim operating criteria for water flows from the Dam. In fact, the Administration supports the imposition of short-term operating criteria within 90 days after the current research on water flow rates is concluded. The Administration is also in the process of preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) that will provide the basis for long-term operating criteria for the Dam. The EIS is expected to be completed in 1993. The Administration's operating procedures will be designed to protect the environment and ecological resources of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and the Grand Canyon National Park, while allowing continued power generation from the Glen Canyon Dam.