REP. CALVERT'S BILL RECEIVES HEARING IN HOUSE RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER AND POWER
April 9, 2009
Press Release
Today, the House Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power heard testimony on H.R. 3929, the Dana Point Desalinization Project Authorization Act, which is sponsored by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona). H.R. 3929 would authorize $2.5 million for the Interior Department to assist with preliminary engineering and environmental studies for the Dana Point Desalinization Project. No construction dollars are authorized in this legislation.
"Federal participation in the relatively small desalination project in Dana Point could have a big impact on the future development of desalination projects nationwide," said Rep. Calvert. "The Dana Point Desalination Project is not a typical desalination project. The project would use a unique subsurface ocean intake system that would collect water that naturally seeps through the ocean floor. This provides a number of benefits over traditional intake systems, including removing the negative impacts on marine life as well as potentially reducing the need for extensive pretreatment filtration."
Jack Garner, Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, was among those who testified regarding the bill. He noted that the "[Bureau of] Reclamation consistently strives to select research, development, and demonstration projects that promise to be innovative and could be applied by others if proven effective. The feasibility study that H.R. 3929 would authorize may present an opportunity for innovation. It would employ beach wells on a scale not previously tested."
Rep. Calvert urged the Resources Committee to consider H.R. 3929 and report it to the whole House for passage.
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"Federal participation in the relatively small desalination project in Dana Point could have a big impact on the future development of desalination projects nationwide," said Rep. Calvert. "The Dana Point Desalination Project is not a typical desalination project. The project would use a unique subsurface ocean intake system that would collect water that naturally seeps through the ocean floor. This provides a number of benefits over traditional intake systems, including removing the negative impacts on marine life as well as potentially reducing the need for extensive pretreatment filtration."
Jack Garner, Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, was among those who testified regarding the bill. He noted that the "[Bureau of] Reclamation consistently strives to select research, development, and demonstration projects that promise to be innovative and could be applied by others if proven effective. The feasibility study that H.R. 3929 would authorize may present an opportunity for innovation. It would employ beach wells on a scale not previously tested."
Rep. Calvert urged the Resources Committee to consider H.R. 3929 and report it to the whole House for passage.
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