Washington, DC - President George W. Bush last night signed legislation into law that authorizes $395 million for a balanced program to increase California's water supply, reliability and quality and help restore sensitive water ecosystems.

The landmark legislation was based on a compromise bill sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (both D-Calif.) along with Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), chairman and ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The following is the text of Senator Feinstein's statement:

"President Bush has signed into law legislation to authorize a balanced program to increase water storage for California and improve its environment and water ecosystems. This is a historic step, which is the culmination of more than a decade worth of hard work, determination, and compromise. 

I am so gratified that we were able to pass this CALFED bill. It's been one of my top priorities for a long time now, and I'm very proud of what we were able to accomplish. It is my hope that through this law we can prevent a water crisis similar to the one that we faced with electricity. 

What this law will do is ensure that California will be able to meet its water needs in a balanced manner - for farmers, for cities, and for the environment. It will mean that California will be able to build the storage that is necessary, ensure water quality, and protect the environment. 

We hope to move California's water projects forward together in a balanced manner so that our water challenges can be solved together and not in the courts. 

This effort is not mine alone, but the work of dozens of people, and I just want to single out a few who helped ensure the passage of this legislation. This includes my cosponsor Senator Barbara Boxer, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman, Chairman of the House Resources Committee Richard Pombo, and Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Water and Power Subcommittee, Representatives Ken Calvert and Grace Napolitano.

Now that we've passed this legislation, the hard work really begins. We have to secure funding through the appropriations process so that we can fund the projects laid out in the legislation, including feasibility studies for the storage projects. We have to ensure that the projects are implemented in a balanced manner to prevent the CALFED program from ending up in the courts. And we need to continue to look for new ways to prevent the perpetual shortage of water in the West from turning into a crisis. 

This is a tremendous moment for California. It will mean a great deal in terms of increasing California's ability to withstand drought and meet the needs of its ever growing population. And I am very pleased that it was signed into law."

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