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VOL . 36 • ISS . 24
Hey Dan ! — Letters To The Editor
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House Democrats Seek GAO Investigation into Federal Scheme to Fund Delta Tunnels Project
Hey Dan !
Led by Reps . Jared Huffman ( D-CA ) and Raul Grijalva ( D-AZ ), the Natural Resources Committee ’ s Ranking Member , six House Democrats are calling on the Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) to open a new investigation into the misuse of taxpayer funds by the Interior Department ’ s Bureau of Reclamation , following last month ’ s revelations that tens of millions of dollars were secretly spent by the federal agency to subsidize private interests and help develop plans for a massive new California water project .
In its September audit , the Interior Department ’ s Inspector General found that the Bureau of Reclamation improperly subsidized the planning process for the California WaterFix project , also known as the “ Delta Tunnels .” The audit identified at least $ 84 million in taypayer funds spent without disclosure to Congress as required by law , and kept hidden from other water users , stakeholders , and the public . According to the Inspector General , at least $ 50 million of this total should have been paid by the local water agencies that sought to benefit from the massive infrastructure project , such as the powerful Westlands Water District . Instead , those costs were secretly reassigned by the Bureau of Reclamation so that taxpayers would pay most of the water districts ’ share .
With today ’ s letter , the lawmakers are asking the GAO , the federal watchdog agency that conducts investigations and audits on behalf of Congress , to issue a legal opinion about the Bureau of Reclamation ’ s funding scheme . The penalty for this type of misuse of public money can include removal from office .
The Inspector General ’ s audit found that the controversial funding plan was first launched in 2008 , during the period when David Bernhardt was the department ’ s top lawyer . Upon leaving the department , Bernhardt became one of the top lobbyists for the Westlands Water District , the major beneficiary of this funding plan . He has now returned to the Interior Department as Deputy Secretary . In responses to the Inspector General , Interior Department staff have indicated that there are no plans to recoup these millions of dollars in taxpayer funds that were spent without authorization or rationale .
In addition to Rep . Huffman and Rep . Grijalva , the letter was also signed by Mike Thompson ( D-CA ), Jerry McNerney ( D-CA ), Mark DeSaulnier ( D-CA ), and Anna G . Eshoo ( D-CA ).
The full text of the letter is below . ~ Alexa Shaffer , Communications Director , Congressman
Jared Huffman ( CA-02 )
The Honorable Gene L . Dodaro Comptroller General of the United States U . S . Government Accountability Office 441 G Street , NW Washington , DC 20548 Dear Comptroller General Dodaro ,
The Department of the Interior ’ s Office of Inspector General , ( DOI OIG ), recently issued a report regarding the Bureau of Reclamation ’ s ( USBR ) spending on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan ( BDCP ) – a stateled effort involving the construction of new water diversion facilities benefitting select water contractors in the state of California . See DOI OIG , Report No . 2016‐WR‐040 , The Bureau of Reclamation Was Not Transparent in its Financial Participation in the Bay Delta Conservation Plan ( Sept . 7 , 2017 ) ( DOI OIG Report ). In its report , the DOI OIG found that USBR “ did not fully disclose to Congress and other stakeholders the $ 84.8 million cost of its participation in the BDCP efforts .” DOI OIG Report , at 1 . The DOI OIG report ( at 1 ) states further that :
[ USBR ] did not report [ to Congress ] $ 50 million derived from an appropriation , available for other general purposes , that it also used for the BDCP . USBR obtained this $ 50 million over a 7‐year span by using a complex , obscure process that was not disclosed in the annual congressional budget justifications , Office of Management and Budget Calfed Bay‐Delta certified annual financial reports , or numerous briefing documents on BDCP issues and status prepared by USBR for senior management officials .
The complex , obscure process cited by DOI OIG report involved USBR altering its standard funding process for operation and maintenance activities which , according to the DOI OIG report , “ obscured the source of its funding and the total cost of [ USBR ’ s ] participation in the BDCP .” DOI OIG Report , at 8 . The DOI OIG report states that “ USBR supplemented its BDCP activities with $ 50 million derived from funds appropriated for ‘ water and related resources ’ and authorized for application to reimbursable Federal [ Central Valley Project Operation and Maintenance ] activities and other purposes .” DOI OIG Report , at 8 . That is , USBR may have “ written off ” reimbursable expenses and converted them to expenses borne by the taxpayer .
Given these troubling findings , we respectfully request a GAO legal opinion as to whether USBR ’ s actions with regard to the $ 50 million referenced above were consistent with , among other things , the rule against augmentation and the Miscellaneous Receipts Statute , 31 U . S . C . § 3302 ( b ). For your convenience , please find the full OIG report enclosed .
If you have any questions , please contact Matthew Muirragui and Vic Edgerton , of the House Natural Resources Committee , at ( 202 ) -225-6065 . Thank you for your attention to this important matter .
Hey Alexa !
I hope that the GAO does their job and conducts the investigation requested by Representative Huffman and the five other
House Democrats .
Quality Trained Retrievers For Sale .
CALL NOW FOR SALE PRICES !
Pin-Mark Retrievers ( 530 ) 635-3333 www . trainedretrieverfinder . com
Hopefully , the officials responsible for the misuse of $ 84.8 million of federal money for Delta Tunnels planning will be prosecuted to full extent of the law and removed from office .
~ Dan
COVER STORY
Marisa Escareno took a trip to the Feather River this fall and successfully battled this incredible 23 pound king salmon . Marisa was fishing with Captain Anthony Crawford of Got Fish Guide Service and Anthony ’ s deckhand Joseph Green . The big fish grabbed a corkie drifted on an Elyte Styx custom wrapped rod . Currently , river salmon fishing is on and off right now on valley rivers , but the bite on the Sacramento is expected to kick back into gear soon as late fall run fish begin surging up the system . Photo courtesy of MARISA ESCARENO , St .
Helena .
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