n Sen. Christensen gets spot on Natural Resources committee. PAGE 1.
    By Russ Pankonin
    The Imperial Republican
     Senator Mark Christensen of Imperial campaigned hard on water issues facing the Republican Basin. Now, he's focusing his efforts on making good on those promises.
     In his first weekly teleconference Tuesday, Christensen said he's been spending lots of time on the water bill he plans to introduce this session.
     More than likely, it will be the senator's priority bill.
     Perhaps even more important than the bill itself, he said, is getting other senators and lobbyists familiar with the bill's contents and what it seeks to do.
     He said he's been meeting with people and other committee chairmen on the bill.
     What his bill seeks to do is establish a basin-wide administration committee in the Republican Basin; provide tax authority for water projects with a portion to be matched by the state, quantify the allocations and depletions of the respective natural resources districts in the basin, allow cooperative projects between basin NRDs such as vegetation control, and provide for interbasin transfers.
     Christensen said some members of the Legislature want to delay any action until the Water Task Force completes a one-year study with recommendations due next year.
     That will be too late for farmers and businesses in the 44th District, the senator said.
     One of the concerns in Lincoln is that current practices haven't worked to help the state reach compliance. As a result, people are questioning the need to throw money at the same old ideas.
     Christensen remains committed that a water transfer still offers the best way for the state to come into compliance.
     "I think I'm winning a lot of support with people out here that understand that we have to step up to the plate and do something," he said.
     He said he's also been addressing the issue with the Appropriations Committee on the necessity of funding. He's projecting a transfer project will need $10 million the first year and $6 million ongoing thereafter.
     The state agreed to a settlement they thought would work but the drought came along and made the terms unworkable, he said.
     With some type of language in place in law showing compliance efforts, a judge may not be as likely to shut down irrigation, he added.
     "There is not an easy solution except for rain."
     To contact Christensen, he can be reached by phone at his office at 402-471-2805 or by e-mail at this address: mchristensen@leg.ne.gov.
     His mailing address is Sen. Mark Christensen, %State Capitol, P.O. Box 94604 Room 1000, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604.