On July 18, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 4733, the fiscal year 2001 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.

Overall, the Committee provided $23.1 billion in new current budget authority, $1.5 billion above the FY 2000 level but $32 million below the FY 2001 President's Budget. In particular, $793.1 million was provided for Department of the Interior programs, $12.7 million below the FY 2000 level and $47.9 million below the FY 2001 President's Budget.

Bureau of Reclamation
The Senate Committee provided $753.2 million for Reclamation accounts, $15.4 million below the FY 2000 level and $47.9 million below the FY 2001 President's Budget. The most significant action by the Committee was to delete all of the $60.0 million requested for the California Bay-Delta Restoration Program, on the basis that the authorization of appropriations currently ends in FY 2000.

Funds provided for "Water and Related Resources", Reclamation's primary operating account, total $655.2 million, $47.6 million above FY 2000 and $12.1 million above the request. Within this total, the Committee added $34.5 million for specific projects, programs, or studies; but partially offset these increases by reducing the funding requested for other projects, programs, or studies by $11.8 million, and by increasing the "allowance for slippage" by $10.6 million.

Increases provided by the Committee include: $5.0 million for the Central Arizona Project, $4.5 million for Drought Emergency Assistance, $4.0 million for the Garrison Diversion Unit (ND), $3.8 million for the Middle Rio Grande Project (NM), $2.7 million for a Newlands Project Water Rights Fund (NV), $2.5 million for Columbia and Snake River Salmon Recovery Project (ID), and $4.4 million for seven water resources investigations. The Committee reduced the request for the Lower Colorado River Operations Program by $5.7 million.

The Committee provided the amount requested for the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund ($38.4 million), the Loan Program ($9.4 million), and the Policy and Administration account ($52.2 million).

Central Utah Project
The Senate Committee provided $39.9 million for completion of the Central Utah Project, $0.7 million above the FY 2000 level and the same as the President's Budget.

Report and Bill Language
The Senate Committee bill includes language: 1) prohibiting the use of appropriated funds to require the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District or the Fort Sumner Irrigation District to provide flows for endangered species, except as agreed to by all affected water rights holders or required by a final court order; 2) prohibiting the use of appropriated funds to revise the Missouri River Master Water Control Manual if the revision provides for an increase in springtime releases; 3) extending a recent prohibition on the use of appropriated funds for environmental analysis of Central Arizona Project water allocations; and 4) limiting the funding to be provided for the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program from power revenues to the 2000 level plus inflation.