[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2545 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2545

To authorize appropriations for grants by the Environmental Protection 
       Agency and other appropriate entities to assist colonias.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 28, 1993

 Mr. de la Garza introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Public Works and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize appropriations for grants by the Environmental Protection 
       Agency and other appropriate entities to assist colonias.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Colonia Assistance Authorization Act 
of 1993''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to protect the economy, public health, 
environment, and water quality of the United States-Mexico border area 
which is endangered and is being polluted by raw or partially treated 
sewage, effluent, or other pollutants.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO ALLEVIATE HEALTH RISK.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator is authorized to make grants to 
any Federal agency, any other appropriate entity, or border State 
designated by the President, for eligible communities to provide for 
the conservation, development, use, and control of water (including the 
extension or improvement of existing water supply systems), and the 
installation or improvement of sewers, wastewater treatment works, and 
essential community facilities including necessary related equipment. 
Such grants shall be available to provide such water and wastewater 
treatment facilities and services to eligible communities whose 
residents face significant health risks, as determined by the 
Administrator, due to the fact that a significant proportion of the 
eligible community's residents do not have access to, or are not served 
by, adequate affordable--
            (1) water supply systems; or
            (2) wastewater treatment works.
    (b) Operation and Maintenance.--The Administrator or such other 
agency, entity, or border State as may be designated by the President 
under subsection (a) is authorized to operate and maintain any 
treatment works or other project constructed under subsection (a) in 
order to accomplish the proposes of this Act
    (c) Approval of Plans.--Any treatment works or other project for 
which a grant is made under this Act shall be constructed in accordance 
with plans and specifications developed by the Administrator or such 
other agency, entity, or border State as may be designated under 
subsection (a), in consultation with the appropriate officials of the 
affected border State, and approved by the Administrator, to meet the 
construction standards which would be applicable if such treatment 
works were being constructed under title II of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the Environmental Protection Agency;
            (2) the term ``border State'' means the States of Arizona, 
        California, New Mexico, and Texas;
            (3) the term ``construction'' and ``treatment works'' have 
        the meanings such terms have under section 212 of the Federal 
        Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251); and
            (4) the term ``eligible communities'' means those low-
        income communities commonly referred to as colonias that are 
        located along the United States-Mexico border, generally in 
        unincorporated areas, that lack basic sanitation facilities 
        such as safe drinking water, household plumbing, and proper 
        sewage disposal systems.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years beginning 
after September 30, 1993, such sums as may be necessary to the 
Administrator to make grants under this Act and such sums as may be 
necessary to any agency, entity, or border State that the President may 
designate under section 3 to carry out this Act.

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