Water Bill Veto Override

[TURobY]

House Votes to Override Water Bill Veto

I seem to recall someone metioning Inhoff attempting to get some money for the river through a failed water bill. Is this that bill?

[TURobY]

SEC. 3008. MCCLELLAN-KERR ARKANSAS RIVER NAVIGATION SYSTEM, ARKANSAS AND OKLAHOMA.

(a) Navigation Channel- The Secretary shall continue construction of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, Arkansas and Oklahoma, to operate and maintain the navigation channel to the authorized depth of the channel, in accordance with section 136 of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108-137; 117 Stat. 1842). (b) Mitigation- (1) IN GENERAL- As mitigation for any incidental taking relating to the McClellan-Kerr Navigation System, the Secretary shall determine the need for, and construct modifications in, the structures and operations of the Arkansas River in the area of Tulsa County, Oklahoma, including the construction of low water dams and islands to provide nesting and foraging habitat for the interior least tern, in accordance with the study entitled `Arkansas River Corridor Master Plan Planning Assistance to States'. (2) COST SHARING- The non-Federal share of the cost of a project under this subsection shall be 35 percent. (3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $12,000,000.

[sgrizzle]

As Inhoffe explained it, this is the bill that allows for appropriation requests to be made. Once passed, Inhoffe will seek something like $50M for the Arkansas River and we get our low water dams. Bush vetoed it as a move towards "fiscal responsibility" but in actuality, this is not the bill to do it with.

[carltonplace]

Money coming back to donor state Oklahoma!? Federal money for I44, a downtown quiet zone and low water dams? It must be a sign of the end of days.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

As Inhoffe explained it, this is the bill that allows for appropriation requests to be made. Once passed, Inhoffe will seek something like $50M for the Arkansas River and we get our low water dams. Bush vetoed it as a move towards "fiscal responsibility" but in actuality, this is not the bill to do it with.

Looking at Bush's non-military discretionary spending since '01, he's a little late to the party on fiscal responsibility.

[cannon_fodder]

The language cited above has been stricken... below are the sections remaining/added that pertain to the river:

quote:SEC. 3132. ARKANSAS RIVER CORRIDOR, OKLAHOMA.
#8592;#8594;

     (a) In General- The Secretary is authorized to participate in the ecosystem restoration, recreation, and flood damage reduction components of the Arkansas River Corridor Master Plan dated October 2005. The Secretary shall coordinate with appropriate representatives in the vicinity of Tulsa, Oklahoma, including representatives of Tulsa County and surrounding communities and the Indian Nations Council of Governments.(b) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 to carry out this section.

Other sections of interest include (some do not have funding amounts):
SEC. 3131. ARCADIA LAKE, OKLAHOMA.
SEC. 3133. LAKE EUFAULA, OKLAHOMA.
SEC. 3134 OKLAHOMA LAKES DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM  OKLAHOMA (to enhance recreation on Corps lakes in OK)
SEC. 3135. OTTAWA COUNTY, OKLAHOMA. (tar creek buyout provisions) ($30mil)
SEC. 3136. RED RIVER CHLORIDE CONTROL, OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS.
SEC. 3137. WAURIKA LAKE, OKLAHOMA ($15mil)

So that's ~$120,000,000 for Oklahoma projects (assuming the unfunded portions get $25mil in total funding).  Also some cities and counties are getting funds:

quote:
SEC. 5158. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR CRITICAL PROJECTS.
. . .
`(219) ADA, OKLAHOMA- $1,700,000 for sewer improvements and other water infrastructure, city of Ada, Oklahoma.

`(220) ALVA, OKLAHOMA- $250,000 for wastewater infrastructure improvements, city of Alva, Oklahoma.

`(221) ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA- $1,900,000 for water and sewer infrastructure improvements, city of Ardmore, Oklahoma.
#8592;#8594;

`(222) BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA- $2,500,000 for water supply infrastructure, city of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

`(223) BETHANY, OKLAHOMA- $1,500,000 for water improvements and water related infrastructure, city of Bethany, Oklahoma.

`(224) CHICKASHA, OKLAHOMA- $650,000 for industrial park sewer infrastructure, city of Chickasha, Oklahoma.

`(225) DISNEY AND LANGLEY, OKLAHOMA- $2,500,000 for water and sewer improvements and water related infrastructure, cities of Disney and Langley, Oklahoma.

`(226) DURANT, OKLAHOMA- $3,300,000 for bayou restoration and water related infrastructure, city of Durant, Oklahoma.

`(227) EASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, WILBERTON, OKLAHOMA- $1,000,000 for sewer and utility upgrades and water related infrastructure, Eastern Oklahoma State University, Wilberton, Oklahoma.

`(228) GUYMON, OKLAHOMA- $16,000,000 for water and wastewater related infrastructure, city of Guymon, Oklahoma.

`(229) KONAWA, OKLAHOMA- $500,000 for water treatment infrastructure improvements, city of Konawa, Oklahoma.

`(230) LUGERT-ALTUS IRRIGATION DISTRICT, ALTUS, OKLAHOMA- $5,000,000 for water related infrastructure improvements, Lugert-Altus Irrigation District, Altus, Oklahoma.

`(231) MIDWEST CITY, OKLAHOMA- $2,000,000 for improvements to water related infrastructure, the City of Midwest City, Oklahoma.

`(232) MUSTANG, OKLAHOMA- $3,325,000 The project for water improvements and water related infrastructure, city of Mustang, Oklahoma.
#8592;#8594;

`(233) NORMAN, OKLAHOMA- $10,000,000 for water related infrastructure, Norman, Oklahoma.

`(234) OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE STATE UNIVERSITY, GUYMON, OKLAHOMA- $275,000 for water testing facility and water related infrastructure development, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Guymon, Oklahoma.

`(235) WEATHERFORD, OKLAHOMA- $500,000 for arsenic program and water related infrastructure, city of Weatherford, Oklahoma.

`(236) WOODWARD, OKLAHOMA- $1,500,000 for water improvements and water related infrastructure, Woodward, Oklahoma.

Who's from Guymon with the pull?

The other 477 PAGES contain other projects all over the nation.  
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-1495

California clears $3,000,000,000.00 in earmarks in the "water bill" for various projects (from water acquisition, to harbor management, to flood control, to environmental projects, to flood control). Dallas Texas alone clears the Half Billion mark.  Non-tax paying Puerto Rico gets $150,000,000.00.  Poor Arkansas only get a feasibility study out of the deal.

A great example of what's wrong with the government.  Most of it is in even multiples of $10,000,000.00 likes its nothing, the strikes often remove $120,000,000 and change it to $130,000,000, what the heck - why not? No one is ever going to read all 447 pages, I've probably read more of it than those voting on it.   And of those that look it over, who REALLY knows what it means or what will result from it.

This is what happens when we are trained to think the Federal Government is supposed to solve everything.  This is one relatively "small" $13,000,000,000.00 bill that people are actually looking at.

[TheArtist]

So whats the next step? The Senate will likely vote to override the veto as well. Then what? And how long will it take to get any funding for the river?

[cannon_fodder]

When the Senate Over Rides the Veto the appropriations bill is presented to the Secretary who then has the discretion to fund most of these projects.  The funding is "authorized" for the next 4 years.  However, Congress can fail to properly fund the Corps or the Secretary can chose not to fund many of these projects.  

Yay bureaucracy! Basically, no one knows what is likely to come next, if, or when any of these will actually be funded.

[sgrizzle]

Well we do know the answer on funding if the veto isn't overriden...

[Conan71]

CF, Guymon has a lot of agri-business and a pretty sizeable meat-packing industry located there.  It will tax a water and sewer system pretty hard.  I'm quite well aware that meat packing plants in the U.S. generally all have their own waste treatment system, but then they have to discharge their "clean" water somewhere.

You can't even imagine how many gallons of water are required to process one head of cattle, or hogs.

[cannon_fodder]

On the contrary Barbarian, I come from Iowa... when I worked at John Deere I drove my a hog packing plant everyday (with semis lined up 24 hours a day).  We had 3 packing facilities in my hometown (and a supporting tannery) and I was lucky enough to know someone who could let me in on a shut-down tour (no tours during operation for obvious safety and health reasons).  

So while I do not know how much water they use, I can certainly imagine.  Not too mention the tannery.  I'm willing to bet they have one or two of those there also.  I was simply unaware of the industry out there I guess.  Interesting to know.

[Conan71]

Seaboard has a big pork plant and I think IBP or Excel may have a beef plant there as well.

That was the funny part about doing chemical business with those guys, they wanted everything broken down as cost per head for their accounting.  They can tell you to the half penny what it costs to process a head of cattle.

[carltonplace]

The veto is overridden