Letter on Failure of Department of the Interior to Report on the Central Arizona Project

Letter: From Carl Hayden, to Stewart Udall, February 7, 1964, page 1United States Senate COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS February 7, 1964 923 CARL HAYDEN, ARIZ., CAIRMAN R CHARD E. RUSSELL, GA. ALLEN J. ELLENDER, LA. LISTER HILL, ALA. JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, ARK. A. WILLIS ROBERTSON, VA. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, WASH. SPESSARD L. HOLLAND, FLA. JOHN STENNIS, MISS. JOHN O. PASTORE, R.I. A. S. MIKE MONRONEY, OKLA. ALAN BIBLE, NEV. ROBERT C. BYRD, W. VA. GALE W. MCGEE, WYO. HUBERT H. HUMPHREY, MINN. MIKE MANSFIELD, MONT. E. L. BARTLETT, ALASKA WILLIAM PROXMIRE, WIS. LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, MASS. MILTON R. YOUNG, N. DAK. KARL E. MUNDT, S. DAK. MARGARET CHASE SMITH, MAINE THOMAS H. KUCHEL, CALIF. ROMAN L. HRUSKA, NEBR. GORDON ALLOTT, COLO. NORRIS COTTON, N.H. CLIFFORD P. CASE, N.J. EVERARD H. SMITH, CLERK THOMAS J. SCOTT, ASST. CLERK Honorable Stewart L. Udall Secretary of the Interior Department of the Interior Washington 25, D. C. Dear Stewart: Failure of the Department of the Interior again on January 31 to report on the Central Arizona Project authorization bill, S. 1658, as an independent bill or as a severable part of the lower basin plan, further jeopardizes Arizona's chance to secure that project before the already critical water shortage situation worsens. In 1947, after many years of work, the Bureau of Reclamation first presented its plan for the Central Arizona Project and thus set the stage for Senate passage of this bill in the 81st and 82nd Congresses. Further Congressional consideration of this Project was interrupted for 11 years while Arizona sought Supreme Court confirmation of its right to an equitable share of Colorado River water. In this interim period Federal monies were appropriated for keeping the Bureau's report updated. The States of Arizona and New Mexico also contributed funds to the Bureau for this purpose. You will recall that in January 1963 we had a discussion in my office in which you agreed with me that the Central Arizona Project ought to be introduced as soon as the Supreme Court decision was announced. You also assured me that the updated Central Arizona Project report would be ready for submission to Congress when the authorization bill was introduced. On June 4, 1963, Senator Goldwater and myself introduced the Central Arizona Project bill in the Senate (S. 1658). The Arizona Delegation in the House did on June 4, 1963, introduce bills identical to the Senate bill. The Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee did, as is customary, request your formal report on S. 1658 just two days after the bill was introduced. You did not comply with that Committee's request. August 27 and 28 and October 1 and 2, 1963, I caused hearings to be held on the Central Arizona ProjectEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 24 bit, 2,496,817 byte