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February - March 2004www.salttonsea.ca.gov |
10 Questions for Mary Bono about Restoring the Salton Sea
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Q: Let’s set the stage…how did you get involved in the Salton Sea in the first place?
A: Well, I think it’s been an issue that’s been placed on every congress member’s table. I was thrust into it after Sonny’s passing. Sonny worked on the issue. Al McCandless worked on the issue. So it’s just one of the on-going issues for whomever represents the area.
Q: What’s the one thing you think “decision makers” need to know about the importance of the Salton Sea and its restoration?
A: The cost of doing nothing. Ignoring problems at the Sea and allowing it to become an environmental disaster is really not an option. I think decision makers need to realize that if we do nothing we’ll be faced with an Owens Valley situation. Some people have even said that it could be worse then the Owens Valley. That, to me, is something that can’t happen. The frustration is that governments are not proactive bodies - they are reactive bodies. We react to crises better then we prevent them. That’s what we’re faced with here. We talk about the failures of our intelligence community prior to 9/11. People talked about it, but nobody responded to it, because we didn’t actually have a terrorist attack. Once we did we started responding. The energy crisis is another example. We talked about a shortage of electricity in California, gasoline and natural gas shortages, but people want to wait until a crisis before they react.
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“...My commitment to the Sea has never waned. It’s an ongoing fight and I remain as committed as ever.”
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– Mary Bono,
United States Congresswoman
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The same thinking applies to the Salton Sea. Not until it is truly an environmental disaster will you really be able to get much of the governmental entities to move because they are not motivated to prevent something. They would rather react, and that’s frustrating.
Q: How would you summarize your ultimate vision for the Salton Sea?
A: I see it as part of a larger regional plan that incorporates the interests of many different constituencies - environmental interests, addressing the burgeoning growth we’re going to see in that area, recreational needs and others - I believe the plan for restoration must be large enough to support all sorts of different interests.
Q: Do you feel there is a regional economic development opportunity that comes along with a restored Salton Sea?
A: That is part of my vision. When you look at the fact that Riverside County and the Coachella Valley will probably double in population within the next 10 years and that growth is moving out that way, it is inevitable that there will be some economic development opportunity. We can help the quality of that development by insuring a better Salton Sea.
Q: What is the federal government’s role in restoration of the Salton Sea?
A: I see the federal government acting as a partner along with state and local governments. I think the key question boils down to what percentage of the funding the federal government should provide. It’s not as important to me where the funding comes from so long as we get the resources that are needed to implement this larger regional plan.
Q: What do you see as the biggest challenge ahead?
A: The biggest challenge is simply finding the money within a cash starved state and a tight budget in Washington D.C. Finding the money and convincing other regions to support our efforts will be difficult. For example, if I have to convince somebody in New Jersey to support this project in California, it always boils down to competing for limited dollars.
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Q: How should state, federal and local governments work together to address the problems of the Sea?
A: I think that the state and federal governments should work under the umbrella of the Salton Sea Authority, taking the lead from the Authority. Today, I met with the Bureau of Reclamation and talked about their role and what they can bring to the table. Their budget is already stretched very thin with projects around the country so it’s difficult to get their participation. But really, it’s a matter of the state and federal governments working with local resources and expertise. I think the Salton Sea Authority, the people on the ground, know best what to do. They should be in the drivers seat.
Q: Why is it so difficult for everyone to agree on how to move forward together?
A: Well first of all, I don't know that it is so difficult other then providing the funding. The state and the feds are reluctant to agree on anything that would mean that they are committed to providing funding. Aside from that, the biggest holdup has been the QSA and the water transfers. That’s what really threw a wrench into all of our progress. People needed certainty and needed to know what we were going to be faced with. What we did do effectively during the QSA negotiations was prevent the Salton Sea from being devastated. Originally there was legislation in Washington that capped the federal government’s liability at 60 million dollars to mitigate whatever negative consequences there would be. After that, they were removed from any liability. To me, that was the ticket to devastation for the Salton Sea. We effectively killed that legislation and stood up for the Sea. For the first time ever the Salton Sea really had a tremendous victory but I don't know if people know about it. It was one of those victories that the CIA has - a big victory that no one knows about.
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“I think the Salton Sea Authority, the people on the ground, know best what to do. They should be in the drivers seat.”
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– Mary Bono,
United States Congresswoman
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That was one of the good moments for us. We were able to stand up for the Salton Sea and make sure the Sea was a part of the process. Because of that the state came up with their legislation mandating money to go toward the Salton Sea.
Q: What would you like to see happen next?
A: That we identify a preferred alternative and complete the NEPA and the CEQA process. Then we go forward.
Q: You have been a strong and consistent advocate for the Salton Sea for so many years. It must get frustrating. Has your interest or commitment waned at all?
A: No, not at all. It’s important to remember that I represent one-fifth, if not less, of the Salton Sea and that I share it with a Democratic member of Congress who represents the rest of the area surrounding the Sea. But my commitment to the Sea has never waned. It’s an ongoing fight and I remain as committed as ever.
Representative Bono represents California’s 45th Congressional District, located in southeastern California. The district is encompassed by a diverse geography, including deserts, mountains and agricultural space, as well as the Colorado River and the Salton Sea. Congresswoman Bono has served in Congress since 1998, after a special election was held to fill the seat left vacant by her late husband, Sonny Bono. Bono chairs the Congressional Salton Sea Task Force.
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M E E T I N G S
S C H E D U L E
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Board of Directors
March 25, 10am
IID - La Quinta
Technical Advisory Meeting
April 8th, 10:30am
Salton Sea Comm.
Services District
Board of Directors
April 22, 10am
VFW, Desert Shores
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Plaza La Quinta
78-401 Highway 111, Suite T
La Quinta, CA 92253
www.salton sea.ca.gov |
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Salton Sea Authority Expands
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| The Salton Sea Authority is expanding both its membership and its boundaries.
As the result of an authority board vote late last year and subsequent consenting votes of its individual member agency boards in the first two months of 2004, the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians have become a full voting member. Additionally, the Authority’s boundaries will expand to take in land area five miles around the Sea.
“These proposed changes should allow the Authority to continue its leadership role and provide the necessary resources for this critical effort of restoring the Salton Sea,” said Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley, a member of the Authority board.
The Authority has been evaluating the potential of using redevelopment revenue generated from expected growth around the Sea to fund restoration efforts. A study last year evaluated the feasibility of forming either an infrastructure financing district or a redevelopment project area in the region.
“The boundary expansion is the first step in a process that will allow us to more thoroughly explore the concept,” said Authority Executive Director Tom Kirk. He added that “extensive negotiations would take place with local taxing agencies before any redevelopment or infrastructure-financing district becomes a reality.
Assuming the hurdles can be cleared, funds raised could pay for much of the Sea’s restoration.” The feasibility study prepared for the Authority last year by the Spevacek Group of Santa Ana found that tax increment financing could provide up to $2.6 billion over the next 45 years, worth about $500 million in today’s dollars (present value), to fund the Salton Sea restoration project.
“If this can be put together, local revenues from Seaside development would provide one more, very important piece, to help complete the financial viability puzzle,” said Board President Andy Horne, a member of the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors.
Meanwhile, the membership of the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians expand the Authority to five member agencies. Other members are the Imperial Irrigation and Coachella Valley Water Districts and counties of Riverside and Imperial. Although the tribe has been an ex-officio member of the Authority since its formation in 1993, state legislation was passed and approved by the governor in 2001 that allowed the tribe to join the Authority as full voting members.
“The tribe, as a sovereign nation, is a major stakeholder and landowner around and under the Salton Sea. We welcome them to the table to join with us in making decisions about the future of the Salton Sea,” said Horne. The enabling legislation, drafted by then-Assemblyman David Kelley, designated the tribe to be a public agency and authorized it to enter into a joint powers agreement to participate in the Salton Sea Authority. Previously, state law did not permit tribes to be members of such authorities.
The Authority and the tribe’s legal council developed the addendum to the Joint Powers Agreement. Because of the sovereign immunity enjoyed by the tribe, under modification to the joint powers agreement, it is treated distinctly from other members.
“We are looking forward to working with the other Authority members,” said Raymond Torres, chairman of the tribe. “The Torres-Martinez are interested in taking an active role in Salton Sea restoration efforts. “Our involvement is just another indication of the importance of local input and direction for the Salton Sea’s restoration efforts. Our tribe’s location on the northern portion of the Sea makes it a key component of such efforts,” Torres added.
Ancestors of current Torres-Martinez members have been in the region since 500 BC. The Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Reservation was established by Executive Order on May 15, 1876. In 1905, half of the reservation was lost after it was flooded when the Colorado River flooded into the Salton Sink, forming today’s Salton Sea. The land still remains under water.
In March 2002, a long-standing water rights issue between the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, the U.S. government, area farmers and the Imperial and Coachella Valley Water Districts was resolved in a negotiated settlement. The Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians received $14.2 million in compensation for the flooded reservation lands, enabling them to buy replacement land and fund redevelopment projects.
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Copyright 2004 - Salton Sea Authority - La Quinta, California
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