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Show Garn from Washington . . . Mh The action of the Senate in approving the Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project should be read as a tribute to the people of the State of Utah and the officials of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. Dis-trict. The solid support of the citizens and the tireless efforts of District officials complemented comple-mented the actions of the Congressional delegation. It was clear from the Appropriations Appropri-ations Committee action that the Unit had been amply justified to the members. For instance, the Report of the Committee on the Water Projects Bill included this language about Bonneville: ...The recommended appropriation ap-propriation of S3 1.965.000 for fiscal year 1978 provides for construction of the Alpine aqueduct. Vat Tunnel, Stillwater Still-water Tunnel, and Provo Reservoir canal rehabilitation; award of contracts for West Fork pipeline. Vat Diversion Dam and feeder pipeline, relocation of West Side Strawberry Straw-berry Reservoir road, and other related items; and for continued preconstruction work on other project features. The testimony on this project is impressive and the Committee agrees that the need for the water to be developed and delivered both for municipal and industrial purposes and irrigation purposes pur-poses is so compelling that the project should proceed as planned. If testimony in favor of the Bonneville Unit is "impressive" "impres-sive" it is so because the local officials did their jobs. They supplied to the Congressional delegation the information needed to make the case before the relevant Committees Commit-tees of Congress. Once the bill has been reported from the Committee, and scheduled for floor action, the important action takes place on a personal basis, Congressman to Congressman, Senator to Senator. Before that, the important action is supplying information to the Committee staffs and the Senators involved. involv-ed. It is at that level that the Central Utah Water Conservancy Conser-vancy District were so effective. effec-tive. When we needed the answers to specific questions, we were able to get them; when facts and figures were needed to supply background to those interested, they were forthcoming. This stage of Congressional action is essentially finished. The Bonneville Unit was accepted by both the House and Senate, and so will certainly be included in the bill presented to the President. It is possible, however, that President Carter will veto the Bill, cither because he still opposes some of the projects in it, or because the general bill contains money for the Breeder Reactor, a nuclear process that the President opposes.. At that point, it will be necessary to round up. enough votes to override the veto. On the basis of past performance, we can expect Utah's knowledgeable water officials to be able to supply us with all the information needed to get the support wc need. |