A wrong impression that ought to be buried is that reclamation projects generally are built with government handouts. While many projects receive some federal funds – usually for federal facilities that are included – most money allocated for construction is paid back. In the case of the Central Utah Project, Utah’s No. 1 water development program, the water users, power companies and taxpayers, will foot 86 per cent of the bill under a repayment contract approved by voters in counties to be served by the CUP. The federal share, amounting to 14 percent, will cover costs of recreation and other government features included in the project. The American Farm Bureau Federation recently came to the defense of reclamation projects in Washington, debunking theories that the government pays the costs. John Datt, director of the Washington office of the Bureau, said Congress has appropriated $8.7 billion for reclamation projects in 17 westem states over the past 76 years. “Of that total, $7 billion is being repaid to the federal treasury – about half with interest,” he said. Mr. Datt, testifying before a Senate subcommittee debating repeal of the ”160-acre limitat.ion,” said: “It is estimated, in addition, that $12.1 billion in net economic, or national business activity during 1976 was attributable to reclamation.” This translates into $1.9 billion paid in one year in federal taxes. He contrasted the success of the reclamation program with the Washington Metro (subway) system, which has cost $6.7 billion in tax funds with no repayment. The Interior Department, using the subsidy argument, seeks to limit the size of westem farms that use reclamation water by enforcing a law passed in 1902. Mr. Datt told the senators: “The time has come to do away with this outdated feature of reclamation law.” The acreage limitation would be repealed by passage of S.654, introduced by a group of senators including Utah’s Gam and Hatch. In supporting the repeal effort the Herald underlines once more that such projects as the CUP are not government handouts and should not be considered as such by those involved in appropriations to keep them moving toward completion.