President signs omnibus bill

Posted by egable on May 8th, 2008 filed in Endangered species, Water, Energy development

President Bush has signed the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, which incorporates more than 60 bills, including legislation that would authorize the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. The bill authorizes funding for the Interior Department to carry out its responsibilities under the agreement between Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming.

The agreement’s purpose is to assist in the conservation and recovery of several endangered or threatened species, including the whooping crane and the pallid sturgeon, while allowing use of the water for agriculture and other activities. The agreement does not involve the creation of federal water rights or require the grant of water rights to federal entities.

The measure also directs the Interior Department to study the obstacles to increasing the beneficial use of water produced from oil and gas extraction. It authorizes $5 million in federal grants to assist in developing four pilot plants to demonstrate the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of processes in which produced water can be recovered and made suitable for use.