Rivers

Legislation would end 19 years of litigation over the San Joaquin River

May 7, 2008 -- Washington, DC – The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today approved legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (both D-Calif.) that would implement a settlement to restore the San Joaquin River and reintroduce the California Central Valley Spring Run Chinook Salmon to the river.

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: Photo by brothergrimm (CC)

Companion legislation was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee last fall.    » read more »

4-22-08 -- Lincoln, Nebraska -- Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning issued the following comment about a letter from the Kansas Department of Agriculture alleging Nebraska owes more than $72 million in damages for 2006.

“While we remain committed to working with Kansas to resolve the compact issues, we’re disappointed to receive a damage claim that has no basis in reality. Kansas’ method of calculating damages was rejected by a special master and the U.S. Supreme Court in the Arkansas River case,” said Bruning.

Republican River: Photo by Ron Schott (CC)    » read more »

February 28, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement on the agreement between Illinois and Missouri on the Mississippi River Bridge:    » read more »

Feb. 8, 2008 -- Kansas officials today requested a quick resolution to the ongoing battle with Nebraska over its undisputed overuse of waters from the Republican River.

At the same time, Attorney General Steve Six communicated with Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning that Kansas is seeking “real solutions” and that “we expect concrete tangible actions by Nebraska to cure its overuse of Republican River water.”    » read more »

HELENA – Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath said Wednesday that the United States Solicitor General has recommended (PDF) that the U.S. Supreme Court accept the state's water-rights case against Wyoming.

"This is good news," McGrath said. "This is an important step in getting Montana water users the water they're entitled to."    » read more »

December 19, 2007 -- (Lincoln, NE) Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman and Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning today responded to a letter sent to Ann Bleed, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Director and Nebraska Republican River Compact Commissioner, by David Barfield, Kansas Republican River Compact Commissioner. The letter makes several demands of Nebraska regarding Nebraskan’s water usage on the Republican River.    » read more »

December 18, 2007 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida, Georgia and Alabama Governors Charlie Crist, Sonny Perdue, Bob Riley and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today agreed upon a revised schedule to address the short- and long-term needs of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) river basins. The agreement came during a day-long meeting of the states at the Florida Governor’s Mansion.    » read more »