Proposal Would Raise Price Of Life In West California Lawmaker Targets Cost Of Power, Water, Timber, Grazing

The federal government should raise the prices of power from its dams, water from its reservoirs, timber from its forests and grass on its ranges to help cut the deficit, a California Democrat said Friday.

Rep. George Miller’s farreaching proposal to change the way the government deals with the West is sure to arouse controversy.

Similar plans failed last year, even though most had White House backing and Miller was the head of the House Interior Committee. This year, Miller is trying a new tack.

“As we examine every aspect of federal spending, it is critical that we also bring these policies into line with the severe fiscal constraints of the 1990s,” he said.

The bill is sure to face opposition in the Republicancontrolled Congress, but Reps. George Nethercutt of Spokane and Doc Hastings of Richland refused to comment Friday because they had not seen it.

Both support a balanced federal budget, but opposed such fee increases in their recent campaigns.

Miller, who represents the San Francisco area, was joined by two other Democrats at the news conference - one from New York and one from Massachusetts.

Their Public Resources Deficit Reduction Act of 1995 would:

Raise the cost of electricity from federal dams to “fair-market value.” The dams, built with federal dollars, currently produce some of the nation’s cheapest electricity.

Charge irrigators the full cost of water from federal reservoirs. The benefits of federal irrigation would also be included when calculating the amount of subsidies a farmer could receive.

Charge “realistic fees” - including such costs as building roads to make resources like timber available - to companies cutting timber in federal forests.

Lease federal grazing land and mineral rights at “fair market value.”

The federal agencies that oversee those lands or projects would determine the market value.

President Clinton pushed similar changes last year, but buckled under pressure from Western legislators to shore up support for his deficit-reduction bill.

With even fewer Democrats in Congress this year, it might be more difficult for Miller to gain support for his bill.

But he hopes the approval of the balanced budget amendment in the House Thursday means more Republicans will support the proposal as a means of raising about $3 billion.

“The legislation we are introducing today gives members of Congress the opportunity to demonstrate that their professions of concern for the deficit, for federal spending, and for getting government out of business are sincere,” Miller said.